Radio Days (1987) was written and directed by Woody Allen. The movie is set during the "golden years of radio," when radio programs, listened to at home, were an important aspect of American entertainment.

The film is narrated by Woody Allen, and is a nostalgic--and possibly autobiographical--look at the childhood of a young boy growing up in Rockaway, Queens. Allen grew up in Brooklyn, but the culture and customs of lower-middle class Jews in Rockaway would have been similar to those that Allen probably witnessed in Brooklyn.

The movie is set in the late 1930's and early 1940's. Surprisingly, World War II doesn't hold a prominent place in the film. Although the war was thousands of miles away, no aspect of life in the U.S. was untouched by it. Allen chose to concentrate on other matters--failed hopes, unfulfilled romances, and family bickering.

Despite these negative aspects of day-to-day life, the film projects a cheery, upbeat attitude. After all, it was a time when someone who looked like Wallace Shawm could star as radio's "Masked Avenger." Woody's subdued narrative lets us know that he loved those around him and was loved by them in turn.

Life wasn't perfect, but it could have been worse, and who knew what good things the future might bring.

We saw Radio Days on DVD. It probably would work somewhat better on the large screen, but it's worth seeking out and seeing in any format.

Definitely in the top 10 of his best films along with Annie Hall, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Husbands and Wives, Love and Death, Zelig, Sleeper and Stardust Memories and even in the top 5(so far that is, haven't yet seen all of them). That is how great Radio Days is and I'm still kicking myself for taking so long to see it. Radio Days looks wonderful, with the smoky cinematography being some of the most beautiful of any Woody Allen film and the minute period detail is very evocative. The music score is also among the best of any of his films(or at least one of my personal favourites from them),wistful and very catchy with a strong hint of nostalgia, the Radio Days theme is irresistible. Allen's scripts are on the most part very insightful and much of his humour is smart and at its best hilarious. That for Radio Days is one of his smartest with cracking, witty dialogue that makes one laugh and cry and is full of insight, with themes that are explored intelligently and in a way that is easy to identify with. The story cuts seamlessly from family life to the empty glamour of Radioland with no signs of being disjointed, there is not a dull moment and it is certainly among the most heart-warming and charming stories for a Woody Allen film. It has nostalgia written all over it, and I'd go as far to say that Radio Days is one of Allen's most accessible mainly for this reason. Allen directs intelligently and with no signs of smugness, and he draws great performances from his cast. Mia Farrow's performance here is one of her best and she is supported impeccably, especially with Diane Wiest who has the most juicy character(of a film full of interesting and likable, for Allen at least, characters) and gives a performance that is almost the equal of the one she gave in Hannah and Her Sisters. Allen's alter ego characters have always been a very mixed bag when it comes to the acting stakes, with the worst case being Kenneth Branagh in Celebrity, but Seth Green is clearly one of the better examples along with Will Ferrell in Melinda and Melinda, he's funny and charming but also doesn't try to be too much of a pale impersonation. All in all, a Woody Allen masterpiece and one of his finest. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Some other reviewers seem to think that Woody Allen got his inspiration for Radio Days from foreign sources. I think his own childhood, similar to mine a half a generation later, was all he needed and for any further influence, he must have listened as I did to the radio ramblings of Jean Shepherd on WOR Radio back in the day.

With the casting of young Seth Green as the protagonist and childhood Allen this was the start of a whole series of quirky roles he's played right up to this day. Allen has a good eye for detail and places that haven't changed too much since he was a child. The only difference is that he used the Rockaways instead of Brooklyn because the appearance is still the same or at least in 1987 it was. One thing that certainly hadn't changed was the elephant house at the Prospect Park Zoo where young Seth Green and his parents Michael Tucker and Julie Kavner meet one of the Quiz Kids and his parents. An all together unsatisfactory experience all around.

The film does not have any plot so to speak, it's simply a collection of stories from just before World War II and American entry into World War II. It was the height of American radio entertainment where all you needed was imagination. Radio as we see influenced young Green/Allen in direct and subtle ways as well. Television first became commercially popular in 1947 the year I made my earthly debut. But Allen's childhood was influenced by radio. You could believe anything if the actors were good enough. Young Mr. Green believed that Wallace Shawn was a superhero because of the radio.

The technique of the film is like Jean Shepherd's The Christmas Story and his monologues on WOR were exactly like Radio Days, just a collection of loose ramblings about the things that Shepherd remembered from his childhood in the Midwest of Hammond, Indiana. Only the Jewish humor of Woody Allen makes it distinct from a Jean Shepherd radio show being made into a film.

Woody cast his film well, but my absolute favorite was Dianne Weist as his lovelorn Aunt Bea, destined to be a spinster like another Aunt Bea from television. The poor woman was in love with love and constantly dating a real collection of losers that never quite cut the mustard.

If you are a fan of Jean Shepherd's nostalgic humor and The Christmas Story, you will love Radio Days. You don't have to be Jewish, honestly.