Mighty Aphrodite **** (1995, Woody Allen, Mira Sorvino, Helena Bonham Carter) – Classic Movie Review 1798

As usual with Woody Allen, art mirrors life in his mighty amusing 1995 comedy about an ageing sports writer Lenny (Allen), married to the much younger Amanda (Helena Bonham Carter), who looks for the real mother of his adopted baby and finds she’s a hooker called Linda (Mira Sorvino).

‘I had the idea for the movie when my own adopted daughter was about four.’ Woody says. ‘She was so delightful and smart that I guessed her parents must be fabulous people. I did nothing about finding them, but about a year later I began to think about a script.’

Initially he imagined the mother as a doctor, ‘but it kept taking a serious turn because her profession was serious. So I made her a hooker!’

Sorvino is the hit turn of a vivacious, easy-going, amusing movie, scooping a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and Golden Globe in a career-best turn. Allen has the bright idea of adding a Greek chorus linking the story with that of Oedipus.

Michael Rapaport, F Murray Abraham, David Ogden Stiers, Olympia Dukakis, Peter Weller, Paul Giamatti, Jack Warden and Claire Bloom (sadly with only 10 lines) co-star.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1798

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