Interiors (DVD)

...anyway. However, I always mention Interiors as a film that might just change their minds - for a start, he's not in it. Also, there are no attempts at humour here; this is serious stuff, a raw examination of relationships within a disintegrating family unit.

Interiors is often referred to as Bergman-influenced, and having only a sketchy knowledge of his work, I think I can see why people say that. It's very sombre in tone, slow paced, ...
...occasionally framed and composed like paintings. It's dialogue heavy, and some of this dialogue borders on pretentious, but this is usually in keeping with the character. It received 5 Oscar nominations, but failed commercially, relative to his other films at the time.

The Story

Arthur, a lawyer, and Eve, a perfectionist interior designer, have raised three grown up daughters, and remain at the focal point of their family, ... more

Woody Allen has a gift for examining and exposing the inner workings of human relationships, and is well known for employing humour, bordering on slapstick, to emphasise this. However, his physical presence, sense of humour and let's be honest, his private life have all been factors in many of my friends declaring that they just can't like his work.

What is not in doubt is that he is a critically acclaimed writer and director, and as a fan of a lot of his work, I'm likely to defend him anyway. However, I always mention Interiors as a film that might just change their minds - for a start, he's not in it. Also, there are no attempts at humour here; this is serious stuff, a raw examination of relationships within a disintegrating family unit.

Interiors is often referred to as Bergman-influenced, and having only a sketchy knowledge of his work, I think I can see why people say that. It's very sombre in tone, slow paced, and contains naturally lit, bordering on dark scenes, which are occasionally framed and composed like paintings. It's dialogue heavy, and some of this dialogue borders on pretentious, but this is usually in keeping with the character. It received 5 Oscar nominations, but failed commercially, relative to his other films at the time.

The Story

Arthur, a lawyer, and Eve, a perfectionist interior designer, have raised three grown up daughters, and remain at the focal point of their family, and Eve in particular. Her shadow across the other members of the family is immense. Her successful career allowed her to put her husband through law school, and he is at one point referred to as 'her project.' Arthur acknowledges early in the film that she has created a perfect life for the family.

They are a successful, wealthy couple and have indulged their children accordingly, continuing into their adult lives, supporting them in their careers on a financial and artistic level. Now that the girls are grown up and moved away, Arthur announces he wishes to separate, take some time for himself and consider his options. This devastates Eve, and the aftermath causes all members of the family to examine their relationships both within and outside the family, particularly when Arthur meets someone else.

The Characters

Eve (Geraldine Page), is the mother and defining character of the family. She is a creative person and uses this as a yardstick for measuring her appreciation of people. Hopeful of reconciliation, she throws herself into her work, hoping this will prove to Arthur that the marriage is worth saving. She spends a lot of time with Joey, the youngest daughter, who lives closest.

Arthur (E.G. Marshall), the father whose moving out instigates the chaos. Desperate to relax and have some fun, he is still keen to preserve his relationship with his daughters and see his wife come to terms with the situation successfully.

Flyn (Kristin Griffith), the actress daughter based in Hollywood, is held up as an example of form over substance by the creative elements of the family, and is obviously a beautiful starlet hitting a certain age where the roles are drying up.

Renata (Diane Keaton) is an accomplished poet struggling with writers block and obsessions of death and mortality, and is in therapy. She has moved to Connecticut and is resented by Joey for leaving her to cope alone, while encouraging her mother's hopes from a safe distance. Renata in turn views Joey as the favoured daughter in their father's eyes. She is married to Frederick with one child.

Frederick (Richard Jordan) is also a writer, a novelist struggling for critical acclaim, and to escape from the shadows of his more successful wife. He is despondent, has issues with anger and alcohol and seethes with barely suppressed contempt and rage in many pivotal scenes.

Joey (Mary Beth Hurt) is the youngest daughter, still local and the most immediately affected by each individual crisis, in her view standing alone as a voice of reason against her mother's escalating hopes of reconciliation. She suffers in comparison to the success of her older sisters, unable to hold down a job or find a creative niche. She is married to Mike, a film maker.

Mike (Sam Waterston), makes documentaries and comes across as the most detached and therefore rational of the bunch. He is accommodating to the continued presence of his mother in law, and tolerant of her downgrading his talents compared to Frederick.

Pearl (Maureen Stapleton), is Arthur's new partner. She is the antithesis of Eve, frivolous, fun and non-creative/cultured. The scene where she is introduced to the daughters serves as a catalyst for some carefully observed tensions coming to the fore, and later to a head.

Why I like it

Every relationship within the family comes under scrutiny and the daughter's marriages also get pulled into the equation. There are some raw, intense scenes where the dialogue is sparse, but clearly indicates the struggles of the characters to preserve the fragile bonds of the family without that strong, defining hub of the parent's 'perfect' marriage. It's thought provoking and effective, with the only problem in sympathising with the family being that they are rich and successful and actually able to divert themselves into other avenues like therapy or career changes to distract them from or run away from their underlying problems.

The acting is first class, and the slow application of tension, causing small frays at first and then increasingly exposing fractures in the family members' views of their own 'perfect' lives and relationships is believable and moving. It's a surprise in the context of Allen's other work at this time (Annie Hall & Manhattan), and all the more impressive as a risk by someone who had just gained a lot of fans on the back of those comedies. There is no humour here, and little music except for a single key scene. It's shot in a series of impressive locations which all add an 'arty' quality to the film. It's been called an attempt at European cinema and you can certainly see those influences there.

Geraldine Page is absolutely magnificent as Eve and is a constant presence on and off screen in the film, as is her character is in the family.

It's not my favourite Allen film by any means, but it's a quality drama that easily stands comparison with a lot of other celebrated films of this type. The DVD is available at around £5 online, and there are no extras bar the original trailer, but it's certainly worth a rent, if you get the chance.

 

...less