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No. 61: Bananas

What Woody wouldn’t do to get the girl

by
Jody Rosen
December 06, 2011

1971, dir. Woody Allen. Bananas is early Woody at his madcap best as Fielding Melish, a schlemiel who becomes a Latin American revolutionary—and, eventually, president of the banana republic of San Marcos—to impress an activist girlfriend. Nearly every scene is sketch-comedy perfection, but some classics stand out: the Break-Up Scene, the Crucifix Parallel Parking Scene, and the movie-ending Honeymoon Night Scene, with live bedside play-by-play courtesy of Howard Cosell.

Jody Rosen is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine.