Mighty Aphrodite
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| Mighty Aphrodite | |
|---|---|
 Original poster |
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| Directed by | Woody Allen |
| Produced by | Robert Greenhut |
| Written by | Woody Allen |
| Starring | Woody Allen Mira Sorvino Helena Bonham Carter Michael Rapaport |
| Cinematography | Carlo Di Palma |
| Editing by | Susan E. Morse |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
| Release date(s) | October 27, 1995 (USA) February 14, 1996 (France) April 12, 1996 (UK) |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15,000,000 (estimated) |
| Gross revenue | $26,000,000 (worldwide) |
| IMDb profile | |
Mighty Aphrodite is a 1995 American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The screenplay was inspired by the mythological tale of Pygmalion.
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[edit] Plot synopsis
New York City sportswriter Lenny Weinrib is adamantly opposed to adoption as a means of saving his marriage to aspiring art gallery owner Amanda, but he eventually succumbs to her pleas and is thrilled to discover the boy is bit of a child prodigy. As Max grows and displays increasingly advanced intellectual abilities, his parents' marriage crumbles, his mother embarks on an affair, and his father becomes obsesssed with learning the identities of the child's biological parents.
By surreptitiously sorting through the files at the adoption agency, Lenny manages to track down the boy's mother Linda, a statuesque, foul-mouthed, part-time porn film performer and full-time prostitute with a squeaky voice and an apartment filled with kitschy tchotchkes. He becomes obsessed with improving her lot in life, despite interference from her pimp. Linda fantasizes about living the American dream, complete with a loving husband, children, and a house in the country. Hoping to help her achieve her goal, Lenny introduces her to Kevin, a dim-witted amateur boxer who longs to return to his roots as an onion farmer.
Throughout the film, a Greek chorus makes observations about the decisions Lenny is making and comments on plot developments as they unfold.
[edit] Production notes
Dick Hyman served as the film's music coordinator, arranger, and conductor. The soundtrack includes "Neo Minore" performed by Vassilis Tsitsanis, "Horos Tou Sakena" by George Zambetas, "I've Found a New Baby" by Wilbur de Paris, "Whispering" by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra, "Manhattan" by Carmen Cavallaro, "When Your Lover Has Gone" by Ambrose & His Orchestra, "L'il Darlin" by Count Basie & His Orchestra, "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, "Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone)" and "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" by Erroll Garner, "The In Crowd" by Ramsey Lewis, and "You Do Something to Me" and "When You're Smiling" by the Dick Hyman Chorus & Orchestra. Graciela Daniele choreographed the dance routines.
The Greek chorus includes George de la Peña and Pamela Blair. Tony Sirico and Paul Giamatti make brief appearances in minor roles.
Manhattan locations include Bowling Green, Central Park, and FAO Schwarz. Additional exteriors were filmed in North Tarrytown and Quogue. The Greek chorus scenes were filmed in the Teatro Greco in Taormina on the island of Sicily.
The film debuted at the Toronto Film Festival before going into limited release in the US. It opened on 19 screens and earned $326,494 its opening weekend. It eventually grossed $6,401,297 in the US and $19,598,703 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $26,000,000 [1].
[edit] Principal cast
- Woody Allen ..... Lenny Weinrib
- Helena Bonham Carter ..... Amanda Weinrib
- Mira Sorvino ..... Linda Ash
- Michael Rapaport ..... Kevin
- F. Murray Abraham ..... Greek Chorus Leader
- Olympia Dukakis ..... Jocasta
- David Ogden Stiers ..... Laius
- Jack Warden ..... Tiresias
- Danielle Ferland ..... Cassandra
- Peter Weller ..... Jerry Bender
- Claire Bloom ..... Amanda's Mother
[edit] Critical reception
In her review in the New York Times, Janet Maslin said, "Even when it becomes unmistakably lightweight, Mighty Aphrodite remains witty, agile and handsomely made." [2]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film "a sunny comedy" and added, "The movie's closing scene is quietly, sweetly ironic, and the whole movie skirts the pitfalls of cynicism and becomes something the Greeks could never quite manage, a potential tragedy with a happy ending." [3]
In the San Francisco Chronicle, Leah Garchik said the film was "an inventive movie, imaginative and rich in detail" and added, "Woody Allen's incredible wit is at the heart of all that's wonderful in Mighty Aphrodite, and Woody Allen's incredible ego is at the core of its major flaw . . . He fails when he attempts . . . to get the audience to suspend its disbelief and accept Allen, a withered Romeo, as a sweet-natured naif. The crotchety charm of the shy and awkward characters he played as a young man has worn off; nowadays, he comes across as just plain crotchety." [4]
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said, "The film is a showcase for Sorvino, actor Paul's Harvard grad daughter, who gives a sensational performance. She shows startling humor and heart without trading on sentiment." [5]
In Variety, Todd McCarthy described the film as "a zippy, frothy confection that emerges as agreeable middle-range Woody . . . There is perhaps a bit too much of the chorus galavanting about delivering their increasingly colloquial admonitions and too few convulsive laughs, but the writer-director has generally pitched the humor at a pleasing and relatively consistent level . . . The film's biggest surprise, and attraction, is Sorvino . . . [who] goes way beyond the whore-with-a-heart-of-gold externals of the part in developing a deeply sympathetic and appealing character. None of the diverse roles she has done to date would have suggested her for this part, but this gutsy performance will put her much more prominently on the map." [6]
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Mira Sorvino, winner)
- Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominee)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Sorvino, winner)
- BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Sorvino, nominee)
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Sorvino, nominee)
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (Sorvino, winner)
- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (nominee)
- Nastro d'Argento Silver Ribbon for Best Cinematography (Carlo Di Palma, winner)
- Butaca Award for Best Art House Film (winner)
- American Choreography Award for Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film (Graciela Daniele, winner)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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