Bananas by, Aaron Charny

Bananas (1971) – Woody Allen

Fielding Mellish (Woody Allen) is a goofy products tester living in New York City. When his political activist girlfriend dumps him for not being a leader and for acting immature, he decides to travel to communist land of San Marcos in Latin America.

While in San Marcos, Mellish meets with Dictator General Emilio M. Vargas (Carlos Montalbán), who tries to assassinate Mellish while disguised in rebel uniform. To make it look like the rebels assassinated a US citizen. The real rebels save Mellish from being assassinated and they develop a liking to him, he becomes president of San Marcos. When he returns to New York as President of San Marcos, the CIA gets suspicious of the new president. Mellish runs into his ex-girlfriend and tells her about the president seat, she falls back in love with him. In the end, this satire slapstick comedy is all about getting your girl back.

Allen has total control as writer, director and lead actor. Every scene in this film is taking a stab at pop culture and modern day society. Some examples  to show you what Allen satirizes; new products to help you work and exercise at the same time, getting beat up on the subway, buying adult magazines and the magic of getting the girl of your dreams,  J. Edgar Hoover is drag and the CIA sends US Troops to fight on both sides of the revolution as to not get it wrong and at the end miss America is on the witness stand and she voices her opinion on the matter. Every action and chase scene has goofy score to it. The film as a whole takes a stab at war, politics and love.

In an interview, Woody Allen was asked why he named the movie "Bananas". His response: "Because there are no bananas in it. The big, broad laugh comedy is a form that's rarely made these days," Allen said, "and sometimes I think it's the hardest kind of movie to make. With a comedy like 'It Happened One Night,' you have characters, a situation, a plot to keep things moving between laughs. But with a comedy like 'Bananas,' if they're not laughing, you're dead, because laughs are all you have.”

Great comedy, director is brilliant to point out the ridicule in the movie causing the audience to put things in the right perspective. Allen’s ability to combine humor with politics, slapstick and love makes the entire film a unique experience.

Sources

Hunter, Ian. "The Best Humour is Satire, and there's a Reason we have so little of it today." Citizens Centre Report Nov 04 2002

SISKEL, GENE. "Keeping Woody Allen from Going `Bananas'." Sun Sentinel: 1. Mar 06 1987.

Ebert, Roger. Woody Allen goes 'Bananas' Rev. of Bananas, dir Woody Allen. Chicago Sun Tribune May 2, 1971