Bananas (1971)

A Revolution in Absurdity

Bananas is one of the early films that established Woody Allen’s voice as a filmmaker—neurotic, erudite, chaotic, and absurdist. Before Allen's transition to more introspective, narrative-driven comedies like Annie Hall or Manhattan, Bananas represents his Marx Brothers-inspired period, where anarchic comedy and slapstick reigned supreme.

But Bananas is more than just a gag reel—it’s a satirical send-up of everything from American foreign policy and revolution to the media, masculinity, and cultural identity. Beneath its ridiculous surface, it contains pointed barbs aimed at Cold War politics, corporate overreach, and the sometimes arbitrary nature of revolution and authority.

Plot Summary

Woody Allen plays Fielding Mellish, a hapless, anxiety-ridden New York consumer product tester who becomes romantically involved with Nancy (Louise Lasser), a politically active college student. After their breakup, Mellish travels to the fictional Central American country of San Marcos to rediscover himself—only to find the nation on the brink of revolution.

Through a series of farcical events and misunderstandings, Mellish ends up inadvertently aiding a band of rebels, led by the flamboyantly dictatorial Esposito (Carlos Montalbán). After Esposito goes mad with power, Mellish finds himself installed as the president of San Marcos—despite having no qualifications or political ambitions.

Eventually, Mellish is brought back to the United States to stand trial for fraud and subversion, culminating in a completely absurd televised wedding with Nancy, capped off by Howard Cosell providing live play-by-play commentary.

Themes and Satire

Political Revolution and Its Absurdity

At its core, Bananas is a satire of political upheaval—particularly the kind seen in Latin America during the Cold War. It mocks the ways in which revolutions are romanticized and then quickly devolve into oppressive regimes. The film makes no effort to be culturally accurate or geographically consistent; rather, it uses the revolution trope as a farcical platform to lampoon political pretensions of all stripes.

The new revolutionary regime, under Esposito, immediately collapses into absurd tyranny—banning underarm deodorant and mandating people wear their underwear on the outside—underscoring how the rhetoric of liberation often masks authoritarian impulses.

American Paranoia and Media Spectacle

Bananas skewers American fears of communism, the legal system, and the cult of celebrity. The film ends with Mellish’s trial becoming a public circus, complete with Cosell's blow-by-blow coverage of the wedding—an early and prescient jab at how media trivializes serious matters.

Sexual Politics and Masculinity

The relationship between Mellish and Nancy is a comic foil for 1970s-era gender politics. Nancy wants a man of action and idealism; Mellish, a cowardly neurotic, tries to fake both. The film pokes fun at both male insecurity and performative activism, as Mellish oscillates between revolutionary and victim depending on who he’s trying to impress.

Style and Humour

Slapstick and Physical Comedy

Influenced by the Marx Brothers and early Mel Brooks, Bananas is loaded with physical comedy and surreal non-sequiturs. In one early sequence, Mellish is mugged in an alley and politely gives the thief instructions on how to use his credit cards. In another, a machine designed to help a paraplegic masturbate is introduced in a deadpan government office.

Surreal Transitions and Media Parody

The film begins with a mock broadcast of the assassination of the president of San Marcos, complete with Howard Cosell covering it like a boxing match. Cosell appears again in the wedding scene, underscoring how American media commodifies everything—even coups and marriages—into digestible sound bites.

There are also faux advertisements, including one for "New Testament cigarettes" and absurdist non-sequiturs (like the appearance of J. Edgar Hoover in disguise as a Black woman) that reinforce the film’s anything-goes tone.

Fast-Paced, Gag-Oriented Structure

The screenplay by Allen and Mickey Rose is structured less as a traditional narrative and more as a collection of sketches, loosely tied together. Some jokes are deeply clever, others utterly ridiculous, but the film moves quickly enough that even weaker gags are followed by stronger ones.

Performances

Woody Allen as Fielding Mellish

Allen's performance is quintessentially “early Woody”—neurotic, self-effacing, and absurd. He stumbles from one scenario to another with wide-eyed disbelief and quick-witted patter. Mellish is a character that prefigures Allen’s later roles: the self-sabotaging intellectual trying to navigate a world he doesn’t quite understand.

Louise Lasser as Nancy

Lasser (Allen’s real-life ex-wife) plays Nancy with a cool blend of idealism and aloofness. Her character parodies the emerging student radical stereotype—intensely focused on causes, emotionally distant, and attracted to revolutionary “authenticity.”

Carlos Montalbán as Esposito

Montalbán’s performance is a highlight, mixing aristocratic pomp with maniacal absurdity. His sudden descent from heroic revolutionary to dictatorial madman is played perfectly for laughs, especially as he begins issuing increasingly nonsensical laws.

Cultural Context and Impact

Bananas arrived during a time when America was deeply engaged in global Cold War politics, and domestic unrest was at a high. The Vietnam War, CIA-backed coups in Latin America, and student protests at home gave Allen rich satirical territory.

While Bananas doesn’t offer deep political analysis, its irreverence and randomness reflect a kind of anarchic distrust of institutions—government, media, and even revolution itself. It was successful at the box office and helped solidify Woody Allen’s transition from stand-up comic and writer to auteur filmmaker.

Criticism and Limitations

Lack of Narrative Cohesion: Bananas is very much a product of its time and comedic sensibilities. Its episodic, gag-heavy structure may frustrate viewers looking for a more coherent story.

Outdated Tropes: Some of the jokes—particularly those dealing with race and gender—may feel dated or insensitive by today’s standards. Allen’s use of Latin American stereotypes, though meant as farce, is not without critique.

Character Depth: Most characters are archetypes or gag vessels. This works for the comedic tone, but those looking for emotional complexity will be disappointed.

Conclusion

Bananas is a riotous, anarchic, and wildly inventive political farce that captures early Woody Allen at his most unrestrained and unfiltered. It may not have the sophistication or emotional depth of his later work, but it delivers sharp satire with a side of absurdist glee.

By lampooning revolution, romantic idealism, and American institutions, Bananas offers an irreverent window into the chaos of the early 1970s—wrapped in sight gags, slapstick, and surreal humour. It’s not for everyone, but for fans of offbeat political comedy and early Allen, it’s a must-watch.