I’d Trade It All For A Little More, by Tyler Smith

HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (1986)
Written and Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Diane Weist

Settling. Compromise. Contentment. This is, in theory, the goal of every American. They just want to establish a comfortable life, sit back, and enjoy it.

The problem is that a person may never actually know at what point they have enough. They may not be able to allow themselves to be content. Perhaps they’re worried that their contentment will become complacency. So, they go searching for something else. Sure, they’re happy. But maybe- just maybe- they could be a little happier.

It’s like that Mr. Burns quote. “I’d trade it all for a little more.”

This is the overriding theme of Woody Allen’s brilliant Hannah and Her Sisters. Several characters in the film find themselves nestled in cozy, comfortable lives, only to find themselves restless. The first is Michael Caine, a tweedy financial advisor who finds that, though he loves his wife, he is attracted to his sister-in-law. At first, he tells himself it’s silly. He tries to talk himself out of it. Soon, though, he finds feelings of resentment towards his wife starting to creep up. All of a sudden, he makes himself believe that everything he could ever want is possible with his wife’s sister.

But, as will usually happen, he finds that she brings a new set of complications to his life. So, eventually, he starts to yearn for what he had before.

The same happens with Woody Allen’s character, a prominent comedy writer who has a sudden health scare, and decides to abandon his career and seek out meaning. As he goes from one religion to the next, he gets more and more frustrated. Just when he’s hit rock bottom, he finds meaning in- well, what do you know?- comedy.

While I don’t totally agree with some of the film’s philosophies (such as the futility of searching for meaningful answers in this life), I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of being content in what you have. While one can always do better in life, always remember to take stock of the things in your life that you love already. It can be very easy to take the familiar for granted while dreaming of the things that could be.

And while there is nothing wrong with following dreams or searching for answers, keep in mind that, more often than not, they’ll probably lead you right back to where you started, in the arms of the ones you love and comforted by your familiar passions.

This may all sound very grandiose. See the movie; you’ll understand.