It seems odd to me

Near the end of the movie, in the record store when Woody Allen goes up to his former sister-in-law and asking her if she remembers him. and the horrid date they went on years ago. They should have known each other well, being former in-laws, but they don't mention that only the date.

I think it is one of the most interesting scenes in the film, and perhaps in all of Woody Allen's screenplays. It is the one time in a Woody Allen script that the neurotic character that Woody plays to such perfection actually undergoes a transition and becomes de-neuroticized (my construction).

Mickey (Woody) has undergone a personal epiphany because of the medical "scare" he has experienced. Mickey, now living life one day at a time (paralleling the AA references from Lee's character) would, of course, now be motivated to go into the record store to greet Holly. Had he not undergone such a change he would likely have passed that opportunity by with the attitude "there's that crazy sister of my former wife."

Of course they know each other, but they both engage in a playful, flirtatious reunion. It is an absolutely shimmering scene that tells us so much about human growth. As the tale tumbles to its conclusion we learn that they marry and in the final moment discover that Mickey, once diagnosed as sterile, has fathered a baby. Somewhere in the IMDB notes it suggests the ending was made more "upbeat" at the suggestion of the studio. I wonder if that is the case or if Woody Allen was just writing under Cupid's sway. At heart Woody Allen is a dedicated romantic.

Just listen to the score!

.....I think he was being sarcastic. Of course she rememered him. That's why she went along with it....





Arnold, you make my girlhood tremble - Helga G. Pataki

Amazing thread. Amazing because it's so stupid. I mean, do you understand humour, people? Do you? Jokes?



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I agree with you. Other posters say Woody was being sarcastic, but I detected no sarcasm in his delivery.

I thought it was like a joke. He used to be married with her sister, and after the divorce he had a date with her that fell out horrible for both of them. This date was the last time they actually met, so when he noticed her, he started the conversation with 'remember the horrible date we had' as a joke to easy things up.

I am glad that someone else also noticed it. I've just watched the film and it looked weird to me that dialogue, as the same question came up to my mind, "he was married to her sister, how come he asks her that??" And then the dialogue advanced without making any reference to any other common points in their lives which they could know about each other: they just talked about that failed date. I really hope it was a joke which I (and many others apparently) did not get, otherwise it is a big PLOT HOLE in an awarded script.