One-liners aplenty, and definitely worth a watch.
6/10
Author: glocksout from United States
24 August 2006

At the recommendation of a friend, I watched Woody Allen's Bananas. Allen is often portrayed in the media and by critics as an albatross of Hollywood, and I really don't have a lot of experience with his films. Besides Bananas, I have only seen Match Point, which is one of the best films I've ever seen.(tapadu envoir bokoo)

 Being made in 1971, Bananas touches on the activism culture of the time, and the USA's involvement in South American politics. Focused around the the fictitious country of San Marcos, presumably any number of nation-states the USA was involved in destroying. It opens with the president of San Marcos being assassinated and a general taking the reigns of power in the country.

Good afternoon. Wide World of Sports is in the republic of San Marcos where we are going to bring you a live on the spot assassination. They're going to kill the president of this lovely Latin American country and replace him with a military dictatorship.

A strong-handed dictator, a group of (apparently marxist) rebels ban together in opposition. Woody Allen's character is living in the States and falls in love with an activist who is looking for support of the people of San Marcos. They make plans together to fly down there in a show of solidarity, but his girlfriend breaks up with him (in one of the most humorous moments of dialog recorded on film).

Because he already had plans to go, he visits San Marcos where he is unwittingly joined to the rebel cause. This is a very funny movie, especially is you are a fan of Groucho Marx - Allen's influence is quite obvious through lines such as, "I object, your honor! This trial is a travesty. It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham."

But Woody also brings his own spin, which is pretty political - "You cannot bash in the head of an American citizen without written permission from the State Department." Most of it is one-liners or character comedy, but there are also cleverly composed dialog sequences and wacky settings.

The film making is somewhat weak, and the musical score is odd, but this is about on par with early 70s movies. The story was flimsy, but apparently most of the movie was filmed improv. It is definitely worth a watch if only for the last scene alone.

Laugh out loud funny, with some dull spots
7/10
Author: RovingGambler from United States
19 July 2006

This is one of Woody Allen's earliest movies, and I'd rank it probably 2nd out of his pre-Annie Hall movies, only behind Love and Death. It's certainly one of his funniest. The plot is pretty ridiculous (a neurotic product tester goes to the fictional San Marcos and ends up joining the rebels and eventually becoming president), but it's really secondary, and only serves to provide transitions from one comedy skit to another.

It's pretty much a hit and miss movie, but when he hits (which is more often than not), it's very funny. There are plenty of hilarious one liners throughout. The music is very cheesy as well, but it fits in well with the silly humor. Obviously, this isn't like Woody's later movies, just take it for what it is -- a silly comedy -- and I don't think you'll be disappointed.Also of note, the opening credits are very funny and rivals Monty Python and the Holy Grail for best opening credits sequence.

"You cannot bash in the head of an American citizen without written permission from the State Department."
7/10
Author: ackstasis from Australia
29 December 2007

When asked why he titled his third feature-length picture 'Bananas,' Woody Allen replied, "because there's no bananas in it." This, in a nutshell, pretty much summarises the general tone of the film. During the first ten years of his directing career, it's interesting to see Allen slowly developing his craft; as the years go by, from 'Take the Money and Run (1969)' to 'Sleeper (1973),' {and culminating in 'Annie Hall (1977)'} we notice how he learned to assimilate an unrelated collection of gags into a mature, cohesive narrative.

'Bananas (1971)' sits somewhere in the middle of all this, with a more developed story than its predecessors, but maintaining its roots as an anarchic comedy, much in the same vein as films like 'Duck Soup (1933)' and 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).' Though I had not anticipated enjoying 'Bananas' very much, I must say that the film provided countless moments of immeasurable hilarity. Though slightly uneven in parts {as is often the case, some jokes hit while others miss}, the film delivers the promised laughs.

The storyline is characteristically simple and absurd. After a revolution breaks out in the small South American nation of San Marcos, a mediocre, unintellectual New Yorker, Fielding Mellish (Allen), travels there to impress his ex-girlfriend (Louise Lasser). After the fascist government tries to have him assassinated, poor Fielding falls in with the rebel gangs, somehow eventually becoming the President of the Latin American republic.

This absurd plot line allows Allen to pile one gag on top of another, and, interestingly, the story itself never seems to lose its way or go off on any tangents. The film's satirical take on war, with the Vietnam War still raging in 1971, was very timely, and Allen also aims a few jabs at the media's handling of warfare – in the ridiculous and inspired opening, ABC's Wide World of Sports arrives in San Marcos to commentate the assassination of the current President.

Later, Howard Cosell returns to host the consummation of Fielding's marriage, with an enthusiastic crowd watching the awkward couple tussling beneath the covers. 'Bananas' is a type specimen of one of Woody Allen's"early, funny movies."

Trivia
-A very young Sylvester Stallone appears in the subway scene playing a hoodlum with another youngster.
3 of 3 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-In an interview, Woody Allen was asked why he named the movie "Bananas". His response: "Because there are no bananas in it." A reference to the 1920s novelty song "Yes we have no bananas."
2 of 2 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-According to the Eric Lax biography, the musicians in the dinner scene at General Vargas' house were actually to be playing instruments, but the rented instruments hadn't arrived, and rather than wait, Woody Allen decided the miming would fit with the tone of the film.
2 of 2 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The majority of the scenes in the film were improvised. When Woody Allen felt he had captured the right shot, he would move on to the next one.
2 of 2 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The movie is ranked at the No. #69 spot on the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Laughs" Top 100 List.
2 of 2 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-Woody Allen said he made a conscious decision not to show any blood to maintain the light, farcical tone of the film.
1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The movie's mock-TV ad for New Testament cigarettes earned the movie a "Condemned" rating by the Catholic Church.
1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-Conrad Bain, Charlotte Rae and Mary Jo Catlett all appear in small roles. All three performers would later appear on the TV sitcom Arnold et Willy (1978).
1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The third feature film directed by Woody Allen, and the first in which he had nearly full creative control.
1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
Howard Cosell was allowed to improvise most of his part.
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-Working title: "El Weirdo".
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-While the rebels are watching Esposito make his first speech as the new Presidente, Fielding asks, "What's the Spanish word for straitjacket?" The answer is "camisa de fuerza" or literally, "force shirt" or "shirt of force".
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-According to the Virgin Film Guide, "subsequent events in Central America have only enhanced the film's appeal".
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-Third and final of three films that writer Mickey Rose co-wrote with Woody Allen. The first two films were Woody Allen Number One (1966) and Prends l'oseille et tire-toi! (1969).
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The picture was originally conceived as a star vehicle for actor Robert Morse.
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The film was partially inspired by Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra's "Don Quixote". The film's original script title was "Don Quixote U.S.A.".
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-The movie was made and released around the time just before the film's lead stars Woody Allen and Louise Lasser had been married but were divorced in early 1970.
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
-In an interview with Robert B. Greenfield of Rolling Stone magazine in 1971, Woody Allen said: "They say it's a political film but I don't really believe much in politics. Groucho Marx has told me that The Marx Brothers' films were never consciously anti-establishment or political. It's always got to be a funny movie first".
Is this interesting? Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
Cameo
-Sylvester Stallone:  Uncredited, as a subway thug. This was one of his earliest film roles. According to website Every Woody Allen Movie, "Allen initially sent Stallone back to the casting agency after deciding he wasn't 'tough-looking' enough. Stallone pleaded with him, and eventually convinced him to change his mind".
1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting?YesNo | Share this
Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options
Spoilers The trivia item below may give away important plot points.
-Woody Allen initially intended to end the movie with him emerging from a riot with his face darkened from soot; the black rioters would then mistakenly claim him as one of their own. As with Prends l'oseille et tire-toi! (1969), Allen's editor, Ralph Rosenblum, convinced him to go with an ending more organic to the story that came before it.

Play It Again Sam (stupidement appellé Tombe les filles et tais-toi par les distributeurs français),est un film américain de 1972, dont le scénario a été écrit par Woody Allen. Le film a été réalisé par Herbert Ross,  ce qui est assez inhabituel puisque Woody Allen réalise en général tous les films dont il a écrit le scénario.