Bananas **** (1971, Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalbán) – Classic Movie Review 10,295

Director/ co-writer Woody Allen’s 1971 political satire comedy Bananas is rough but ready for raising lots of laughs.

Allen also stars as New York milksop consumer products tester Fielding Mellish, who runs off to San Marcos and is accidentally involved in a South American revolution and becomes a rebel leader.

Bananas is an archetypal early Woody scattergun of gags and ideas varying from the clever to the weird, from the hysterical to the dud, from the affectionate to the sexist. The youthful amateurness, rawness and energy are extremely attractive and in fascinating contrast to the work of the mature Allen. Louise Lasser co-stars as political activist Nancy, along with Carlos Montalbán, who plays General Emilio M Vargas.

There is witty music from Marvin Hamlisch in a fine score.

Sylvester Stallone appears very briefly as a gangster. Also in the cast are Jacobo Morales, Miguel Suarez [Miguel Ángel Suárez], Natividad Abascal [Nati Abascal], David Ortiz Angleró and René Enríquez.

It is written by Woody Allen and Mickey Rose. Allen wrote What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966), Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas with his childhood friend and first writing partner, Mickey Rose. Rose also co-wrote all Allen’s earlier comedy albums.

Louise Lasser was married to Woody Allen from 1966 to 1970 and appeared in several of his early films, also Take the Money and Run (1969) and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972), as well as voicing Suki Yaki in What’s Up Tiger Lily? (1966), his spoof dubbing of a Japanese spy movie, Key of Keys (1965).

Mexican character actor Carlos Montalbán (June 5, 1904 – March 28, 1991) was the older brother of actor Ricardo Montalbán. He was a renowned voice-over actor and announcer. He played two different characters named Vargas, in the The Out of Towners (1970) and then in Bananas, his final film role. His best role was in The Harder They Fall (1956) as the sympathetic manager of a heavyweight contender. He started in Flying Down to Rio (1933).

Allen recalled: ‘They say it’s a political film but I don’t really believe much in politics. Groucho Marx told me that the Marx Brothers’ films were never consciously anti-establishment or political. It’s always got to be a funny movie first.’

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,295

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com