Woody Allen
Settembre

"September" is a dramatic film from 1987, with Woody Allen as director and screenwriter. Cinematography by Carlo Di Palma and the ever-present Santo Loquasto for the set design.

"September" can be defined as a Kammerspiel, or a chamber play. Entirely shot in a country house, skillfully reconstructed in the studio, it tells the intertwining stories and secrets of 6 characters who "reveal" their cards quickly. The story unfolds within a time frame of a few hours.

It can be said that "September" presents strong Chekhovian traits (suffice it to think of the immortal play "Uncle Vanya"), at least in terms of atmosphere.

The film opens and closes with a slow framing of the settings. These shots immediately establish the rhythm and atmosphere, which is very different from the more famous comedies with noisy, frenetic, often overlapping dialogues, typically associated with Allen's style.

Just like in "Interiors", the house is a character. In this sense, the film in question can be defined as one of Allen's most Bergman-like films. The actors, especially the women, are exceptional. I have to change my mind about Mia Farrow (central to the plot) whom I dislike in films like "Broadway Danny Rose" or "Alice", whereas in this case, the dramatic, rather complex role fits her wonderfully.

Absolute interpretations by Elaine Stritch, in the role of the selfish and intrusive mother (her reflection on the running time in front of the mirror is touching), but also mischievous and irreverent, and Dianne Wiest, as the friend whose marriage is in crisis and who flirts with a young writer, a guest of the house's owner. There's also Denholm Elliott (famous to the general public for the role of the butler in Landis's film "Trading Places"), the unhappy neighbor with unrequited love.

Finally, Jack Warden, who is the mother's partner, a physicist who seems to have everything under control. But then, during an evening, a storm rolls in and the lights go out. The characters remain by the dim candlelight for a few hours and begin to reveal themselves in their weaknesses, anxieties, and doubts about their future and existential questions. It turns out that everyone loves the wrong person, except for the oldest couple.

Skilled dramatic devices make the film moving, an intimate and delicate whisper with extended timing, but not slow.

It must be said that Allen titled the film thinking precisely about the period of life of individuals, as if to say that life is divided into 12 months, and September represents the end of summer, as well as the entrance into the autumn of life.

The film was a box office disaster. But it is a true wonder.