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Ben Thurn
Peter Gregg
Films of Woody Allen
Its very peaceful: Interiors and the Value of Life Over Art
The critical and popular reception to Woody Allens post-Annie Hall output was
famously lampooned in Stardust Memories (1!"#$ where Allen$ playing film director
(and Allen surrogate# %andy Bates$ is reminded &y fellow professionals$ audiences$
children$ and e'entually$ e(traterrestrials$ that they prefer his )earlier$ funny films*+
Following the o'erwhelming success of 1,,s Annie Hall (1,,#$ Allen &egan writing
Interiors$ an austere cham&er-drama in the mold of Allen icon -ngmar Bergman * The
film stood in star. contrast to the writers )earlier$ funny films+$ forgoing the &lend of
heady intellectualism and /ar( Bros* slapstic. that defined his early wor.$ and instead
channeling the moral and psychological dramatics of -&sen and %trind&erg* Although
Interiors functions as a meditation on the artistic personality$ one that Allen himself calls
)o'er'alued+ (Prarie# in contemporary society$ the film also ser'es as a direct
commentary on Allens artistic oeu're* -t is a )deeply conflicted film dramati0ing1
(Allens# own irresol'a&le am&i'alence a&out life and art+ (Bailey !2#* Allen wrestles
with the importance of art$ a theme that will recur throughout his filmography$ openly
de&ating whether staunch intellectualism de'oid of emotion is more 'alua&le than a life
of sensiti'ity and human relationships with little to no artistic inclination or
understanding* By using a te(tual analysis$ we will e(amine the characters Allen creates$
using them to comment &oth on his newfound fame as well as the importance of 'aluing
life o'er art*
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Interiors (1,!# is the story of Arthur (4*G* /arshall#$ a successful lawyer and
father of three daughters$ and his now estranged wife 4'e (Geraldine Page#$ an interior
decorator whose mental collapse lands her in a sanitarium* The three daughters each li'e
separate li'es$ remo'ed from one another &oth physically and emotionally* 5enata (6iane
7eaton# is a successful poet whose artistic accomplishments lea'e her unfulfilled* %he is
married to Frederic. (5ichard 8ordan# an author whose poor re'iews ha'e lead him to
teaching and alcoholism* 5enatas sister$ 8oey (/ary Beth 9urt# li'es with her &oyfriend
/i.e (%am Waterston# a political acti'ist* 8oey has attempted to li'e as an artist$ with ill-
fated attempts at acting and photography$ &ut she lac.s &oth the talent and the dri'e of her
older sister* Flyn (7ristin Griffith#$ the third daughter$ is a wor.ing actress whose loo.s
ha'e allowed her to act in what the self-righteous 5ichard calls )T: ;un.*+ As 4'e
attempts to coordinate a reconciliation with her hus&and$ the group is &rought together
and their struggles$ &oth past and present$ &egin to surface*
-n commenting on Interiors (1978), Allen remar.ed that )theres something of me
in all the characters+ (9irsch 1#* 9is open ac.nowledgement allows for our analysis of
the congruities &etween his artistic creation and Allens sensi&ility$ &oth in real life and
his other wor.s* We will &egin with the first daughter we meet in the film$ 5enata*
%pea.ing to an off-screen analyst in a techni<ue reminiscent of what Allen will later use
in Husbands and Wives (13#$ 5enata tells of her )increasing thoughts a&out death+$
sounding more li.e an Allen surrogate as she echoes the mortality o&sessions that Al'y
%inger o&sessed o'er a year earlier in Annie Hall (1,,#. %he analy0es her own personal
success as a poet through the lens of her mortality$ wondering aloud )what am - stri'ing
to create= To what end= For what purpose$ what goal=+ To 5enata$ in the face of death$
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her wor. is meaningless* As Allen will famously lament$ achie'ing immortality through
ones wor. is inconse<uential when faced with conscious mortality*
5enata also a'oids social en'ironments$ isolating herself from her sic.ly mother
in fa'or of the isolation of creati'ity$ which she refers to as )'ery delicate*+ 9er sister$
8oey$ discourages her &eha'ior$ claiming that she merely )hides &ehind (her# wor.*+ Allen
himself is said to )routinely su&ordinate human relationships to (his# wor.+ (Bailey !"#
and in an inter'iew identified himself as )not social* - dont get an enormous amount of
input from the world+ (>a( 1,#* 5enata$ who$ li.e Allen$ has achie'ed great success in
writing$ does not find any ;oy or comfort in her achie'ement* -nstead$ she is constantly
re'ising$ discontent as the film opens with the poem she has pu&lished in The e! "or#er
which her sister called )&eautiful+$ &ut she herself claims is )too am&iguous+* 5enata is
artistically impotent$ e(periencing a case of writers &loc. that doesnt allow her to
progress as an artist* The idea of the artistic well running dry is a notorious fear and
concern for writers$ one that Allen e'en re-uses for lead 9arry Bloc. in $e%onstru%tin&
Harr' (1,#* Art cannot &e produced indefinitely* 5enata is either unhappy with her
wor. or una&le to produce more$ highlighting the frailty of the artistic process*
5enatas hus&and$ Frederic.$ has not li'ed up to his artistic promise and pushes
his rage onto others &y means of his scathing academic re'iews* Although 5enata tells
Frederic. that his )wor. is great* Who cares what the critics thin.=+ Frederic. cra'es
artistic 'alidation in the present* )-m not writing for a time capsule+$ he declares* 9e
spea.s of the promise his wor. showed in the past$ and how the &ad re'iews are a way
for his critics to e(press their disappointment in his lac. of progress* Allen$ li.e
Frederic.$ was at a turning point* )Allen was fully aware that he would &e attac.ed &y
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critics and fans ali.e for a&andoning so completely his comedic roots+ (>ee ,@# wrote
%andra 9* >ee in an Allen &iography on the creation process of Interiors. 8ust li.e
Frederic.$ Allen .new critics would lament his transition from comedy to drama$ as he
a&andoned the promise that the success of his )earlier$ funny films+ had &rought* Bret
Aardullo$ in his original re'iew of Interiors (1,!#$ claims that )Woody Allen used to &e
a funny guy* Then he &ecame a serious artist$ or he thought he did at any rate+ (Aardullo
2"@#* Frederic.s channeled rage and awareness of the disappointment that many feel
towards his wor. can &e seen as a techni<ue of Allens to deal with the &low&ac. from
fans and critics ali.e to his dramatic transition* Allen$ li.e Frederic.$ is reminded with
Interiors that he is )not li'ing up to (the# promise+ of his comedic roots*
-n tandem with Frederic.$ Allen uses the character of Flyn to analy0e the gap
&etween the comedic films he was ma.ing and the more serious$ dramatic wor. that he
desired to produce* Flyn$ a tele'ision actress$ gets &y on her &eauty$ appearing in )awful+
tele'ision and mo'ies* %he$ li.e Frederic.$ is una&le to produce the .ind of wor. she
desires* )Flyn is li.e my last no'el+$ Frederic. tells 5enata in a clothing store$ )all form
and no content*+ This 'iew of form o'er content could ser'e as Allens repudiation of his
earlier$ comedic wor. and transition to serious artist* -n discussing Interirors (1,!#$
Allen stated that )what - was going for$ if - had made it$ would ha'e &een 'ery$ 'ery
significant1the am&ition was high+ (B;or.man @#* Bnli.e a comedy$ where success is
conclusi'e &ased on the deci&el and fre<uency of laughter$ drama for Allen has more to
do with content and intention$ which are inherently more difficult to gauge* >i.e Flyn$ he
is tired of not &eing )treated seriously+$ all too aware that )when classy pro;ects come
along - get passed o'er*+ By not appearing in Interiors (1,!#$ Allen is a&le to ha'e
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)something of (himself#+ (9irsch 1# in all of the characters$ and use their insecurities as
a way of e'aluating the artistic personality*
Allens an(ieties are on full-display with the character of 8oey* 8oey is the outcast
of the family$ constantly &eing spo.en of and criti<ued &ehind her &ac.* Whether it &e her
choice in &oyfriend or her artistic talents$ each character agrees that 8oey )did not li'e up
to the promise+ of her youth* Bnli.e Frederic.$ who despite his misgi'ings$ at least
recei'es the commendation of 5enata$ 8oeys wor. is only scrutini0ed$ ne'er applauded*
While loo.ing at her photography$ 5enata and Frederic. remar. that it is )not 'ery good+
and that she )doesnt ha'e an eye+* %he )has all the anguish and an(iety of the artist
without any of the talent*+ -n a great irony$ 8oey deludes herself into thin.ing she can
create great wor. while trying to assuage the mental delusions of her ailing mother*
>oo.ing &ac. on the career of Allen$ its hard to see how he could write himself into a
character that$ for all intents and purposes$ has no actual talent* 9owe'er$ it is in the
struggle o'er her lac. of talents that Allens 'oice emerges* %he has )a real need to
e(press herself+ &ut is unsure of )what or how*+ 8ust li.e Allen needed to mo'e from
comedy and into something with more depth$ 8oey feels the need to e(press herself$ e'en
if shes incapa&le of doing it creati'ely* -s Allen criti<uing his own a&ilities= Cr is the
characteri0ation of 8oey merely a means of presenting the domineering effect an
emphasis on art o'er life can ha'e on a person= -d argue &oth$ for li.e Allen in the
shadow of Bergman$ 8oey )loo.s up to+ 5enata$ conscious of her apparent inferiority* By
ma.ing such an important character function in this way$ Allen is &oth a&le to com&at his
detractors through his self-deprecating awareness$ as well as come to terms with his own
place on the artistic pedestal*
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8oey ser'es as the cru( of the narrati'e in affirming Allens point that life is to &e
'alued o'er art* Bpon first meeting Pearl (/aureen %tapleton#$ Arthurs fiancEe$ 8oey
shows the most resistance$ calling her a )'ulgarian+ &ecause of her flashy dress and lac.
of artistic refinement* After Pearl and Arthurs marriage$ it is 8oey who &erates Pearl for
&rea.ing a 'ase while dancing$ a 'ase that holds a single white rose$ 4'es )fa'orite
flower+* 9owe'er$ 8oey &egins to reali0e the effect that her mother and her prioriti0ing of
art has had on &oth her and the family$ openly criti<uing her attitudes and 'iew towards
human relationships* When 8oey calls out )mother=+$ it is not 4'e that responds &ut Pearl*
By &eing the first character to em&race life o'er art$ as Pearl does$ 8oey finds in Pearl a
surrogate mother* When 8oey runs into the ocean after her mother$ it is Pearl that literally
&reathes life into her drowning &ody$ &ringing her &ac. with a new grasp on what is
important* Free from the artistic constraints and pressures of her mother$ 8oey is a&le to
write in a ;ournal$ achie'ing her long-desired wish for artistic e(pression*
Finally$ there is 4'e$ the maternal figure responsi&le for so much of the discord
present in the film* >i.e Allen$ she has created a world )where e'erything had its place+*
While discussing Interiors (1,!#$ Allen said that he identified himself with )the cra0y
mother+ (Prarie#$ the dominant force that has created and sustained the wounded
characters we'e discussed* 4'e is the )enormous a&yss+ of the film$ a woman who
)achie'ed her success at the e(pense of her emotional life+ (>ee 1"?#* -t is fitting then$
that Allen tries to dispatch of her twice$ once unsuccessfully through asphy(iation$ and
finally through the 'iolence of the ocean* 4'e represents artistic insta&ility$ &oth in what
she has created for her own daughters as well as what she nurtures in her appro'al of
Frederic. and disappro'al of /i.e on the grounds of his )o'erpowering aftersha'e+* 9er
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emphasis on art o'er humanity ser'es as the stum&ling &loc. for each character in the
film* -t is only once Pearl arri'es that sta&ility can &e restored* Pearl is a woman who
'alues life of art$ claiming that one lifetime )is enough if you play it right+* 6espite her
lac. of sophistication when it comes to high-art (her son wor.s at an Fart gallery in the
lo&&y of Aaesars Palace# and her )'ulgarian+-ism$ Pearl$ Allen argues$ em&odies the
things that really matter* The artistic posturing of 4'e and her .in is not important$ nor
are the impasses that they face$ so long as life is held in the proper 'iew* 4ach character
has created or tried to create$ from 4'e fashioning Arthur into a successful lawyer to
8oeys attempts at acting$ yet this compartmentali0ation hasnt &rought a sense of
fulfillment to any of their li'es* Art alone cannot &ring happiness$ Allen is saying* 8ust
li.e Aecilia at the end of The (ur)le *ose o+ ,airo (1!D#$ art can lift the spirits and
distract$ &ut it cannot &e a su&stitute for life* Pearl personifies that message$ &ecoming an
emotional mother to the sisters and allowing them to share in their first 'isi&le emotional
display at 4'es funeral*
As the sisters stare out into the ocean in the films final shot$ they note how calm
the water seems* 4ach has reali0ed$ now free from the &urdens of their artistically
domineering mother$ that a life well-li'ed must ta.e priority o'er art* Art cannot pro'ide
personal 'alidation$ &ecause ;ust li.e the ocean$ the tide can <uic.ly change and the
waters can &ecome 'iolent* While &racing for &ac.lash$ Allen$ li.e Pearl$ ac.nowledges
that$ win or lose artistically$ each person has one lifetime to find a sense of true
fulfillment* As 8oey reminisces fondly on the past$ we see the three sisters come into
frame together$ emotionally united at last* For the first time$ the water is calm$ and
e'erything is peaceful*
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Wor.s Aited
/iller$ Prarie* G%weet and >owdownH Woody Allen -nter'iew*G Woody Allen Art* 1" 6ec 1* 31 Apr
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7entuc.y$ 3""1*
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Aapo Press$ 3""1*
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>ee$ %andra 9** Woody AllenOs AngstH Philosphical Aommentaries on his %erious Films* 1* New Mor.H
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Aardullo$ Bert* GWooden Allen$ or Artificial 4(teriors*G -n %earch of AinemaH Writings on -nternational Art
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B;or.man$ %tig* Woody Allen on Woody AllenH -n Aon'ersation with %tig B;or.man* 1* New Mor.H Gro'e
Press$ 1@*
>ee$ %andra 9** 1! Woody Allen Films Analy0edH Anguish$ God$ and 4(istentialism* 3* New Mor.H
/cFarland P Aompany$ 3""3*