Interiors by Woody Allen

Woody Allen has always included themes of death and dying in his work, but Interiors (1978) is his first take on the subject without the ability to take relief in the comedy genre. That’s not to say classics like Annie Hall or Manhattan don’t breach the topics with poignancy and depth – but this is a film stripped of his particular brand of comical self-deprecation and occasional slapstick. Instead, we are given a film of sincerity and delicacy.

“This is a film stripped of [Allen’s] particular brand of comical self-deprecation and occasional slapstick. Instead, we are given a film of sincerity and delicacy [about life and death].”

Interiors focuses on the complicated dynamics of an ambitious East Coast family. Arthur is a successful corporate attorney (E.G. Marshall) and his wife, Eve (Geraldine Page), an impeccable interior decorator. Their eldest daughter, Renata (Diane Keaton) is a celebrated poet whose success is difficult for her sister Joey (Mary Beth Hurt) to come to terms with as she strives to find an artistic profession herself. Their youngest daughter, Flyn (Kristin Griffith), has found her avenue: she admits she’s the kind of actress who only has to concern herself with her appearance.

With their three daughters fully grown, Arthur decides it’s time to tell his family that he’s separating from their mother – an announcement that’s news to Eve, too.

Geraldine Page as Eve.
(credit: bferrywordpress.com)

Eve has always had a wavering state of mental health, falling in and out of depression. Joey occupies herself with her mother’s well being, particularly after she says her wherewithal to live is now gone. Meanwhile, the animosity between Joey and Renata mounts in the otherwise quiet seaside setting. Their family feels like it’s losing Eve, the caretaker to its pristine façade.

“Their family feels like it’s losing Eve, the caretaker to its pristine façade.”

Worries of life fulfillment surface as Renata admits, “Increasing thoughts about death seem to come over me. A preoccupation with my own mortality…these feelings of futility in relation to my work. I can’t seem to shake the real implication of dying. It’s terrifying. The intimacy embarrasses me.”

Credit: Interiors

Interiors is steeped in an honest discussion about fear and death, about the impossibility of the perfection we seek in love. It’s about the disconnect family members feel with each other, but especially within themselves. Most of all, it is about the understanding of the fragility and preciousness of those relationships in difficult times. When those we love are in danger, familial bonds often teeter towards a breaking point before getting stronger – but it takes work. It takes an understanding of our interiors.

Here’s a link to the trailer.

Discover more reviews on books and films about death and dying here.