Annie Hall Character Analysis

The film, Annie Hall, was released in 1977 with Woody Allen as the cowriter, director and main actor. In this essay Annie Hall will be analysed with regards to how the film subverts typical romantic comedy expectations. Annie Hall could be seen as a conventional romantic comedy in the sense that the typical character traits have been implemented, for example boy meets girls, the main couple break up and get back together, the man chases after the girl to win her back, as well as flashbacks of memories incorporated. However, Annie Hall defies audience expectations by going against the typical romantic comedy traits, for example the main character is not typically heroic, characters are introduced but have no further impact on the plot, previous

Within the initially meeting between Alvy and Annie, Annie is actually the one who asks Alvy out and during their conversation on Annie’s balcony subtitles are included depicting what they are really thinking about one another. Other characters are also introduced throughout the film, for example Annie’s professor and the music director are two characters in the film which seem like they may actually fancy Annie and therefore the audience thinks this might be the reason Alvy and Annie break up, but in fact nothing comes of the interactions with these two characters. Another character introduced in Alvy’s one night stand while Alvy and Annie are briefly broken up and the audience assumes Annie will find out about this women but she never does. Another unconventional romantic comedy element within the film is Alvy and Annie themselves not being typical leading romantic characters. Alvy is not the typical tall, dark, mysterious and handsome man which most romantic comedies include. Alvy is short, not particularly attractive, wears glasses, dresses in causal and dark colours, as well as possesses a nervous, untrusting, paranoid and anxious personality. Annie is extremely awkward, quirky, slightly airheaded and dresses in a boyish style, which does not resemble the typical female lead in a romantic comedy who is normally extremely desirable and beautiful. The film reflects back on past relationships, for example Alvy’s first two marriages, which is not a typical romantic comedy aspect given the audience usually isn’t exposed to happy memories which do not include the main couple. A scene included in the film which is most unlike typical romantic comedies is when Annie has to smoke marijuana in order to be intimidate with Alvy given the main couple of a romantic comedy are usually depicted as extremely attracted to one another. The most shocking of all traits within the film which is most unlike other romantic comedies is