Radio Days (1987)
Sunday, February 12th, 2006
Cast: Julie Kavner, Michael Tucker, Mia Farrow, Dianne West, Danny Aiello
Written & Directed by: Woody Allen
Runtime: 85 min
Rating: PG
Trailer
An underrated comedy from the late 80’s, Woody Allen’s Radio Days is an autobiographical and sometimes poignant look at family life in Brooklyn during the golden age of radio. This romanticized version of family life is overshadowed by the ubiquitous radio set which functions as a source of entertainment, news, and music, just like a real life soundtrack with certain family members having prominent roles and others on the periphery. There’s a boy (no doubt inspired by Woody Allen himself) who dreams of meeting The Shadow, the star of his favourite program; a woman desperately looking for a husband and true love; and an inside story on the legend of a famous radio show host who’s dubious beginnings often involved being at the wrong place and the wrong time. As a film, the episodic and loose narrative construction flounders at certain times, stalling any chance to delve deeper into the characters, but in the end, Radio Days serves more as an interesting window into the idea of radio being relevant, and now with the age of plasma televisions and the iPod, the concept of entertainment being used to bring people together is somewhat lost (just try and ask the time to someone on the street who has those white ear plugs on, they’ll look at you like you’re infringing inside their bubble). A casual moviegoer will find Radio Days rewarding, if only for the music and the setting it pays homage to, whereas a Woody Allen fan will find more in its sharp writing, humour, and romanticism.
Richard X
© Cinephile Magazine, 2006
