List of Woody Allen’s Movies on Netflix

Tim Colman What's on Netflix Avatar

Woody Allen was born Allan Stewart Konigsberg, is a director, writer, actor, comedian and musician and is one of the icons of modern movie making. The winner of four Oscars, Woody Allen has moved seamlessly between comedy and drama. His career has spanned six decades so far and he’s still going strong.

We have listed his movies showing currently on Netflix, some the US, some in the UK and one in both.

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11. Fading Gigolo – 2013 UK only

Woody Allen as Actor

Directed by: John Turturro
Written by: John Turturro
Starring: John Turturro, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone
Running Time: 1hr 30mins

John Turturro has often been associated with intellectual comedy and Fading Gigolo is no exception. Although not Jewish himself, Turturro turns his nicely to Jewish humor and it’s little surprise that Woody Allen appears as his counterpart. With many levels of emotion and bags of poignancy, movie always leaves you guessing what’s coming next. The movie is constantly on the verge of a departure from reality but never quite does so. Although pitched as a comedy this is much more.

10. What’s New Pussycat? – 1965 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer

Directed by: Clive Donner
Written by: Woody Allen (original screenplay)
Starring: Peter Sellers, Peter O’Toole, Romy Schneider
Running Time: 1hr 48mins

What’s New Pussycat was Woody Allen’s first foray onto the big screen. Having cut his teeth as a stand up comedian, his style of monologue comedy transported easily to the dialogue of a movie and here we have surreal characters in surreal situations. There have been many “high brow” attempts to analyse this movie over the years and, frankly, they’re all bunkum. This is a boy gets girl comedy romp that is full of joy with no pretense. Has it dated? Probably. But, as window on the 1960’s, it still has it’s place.

9. Antz – 1998 US and UK

Woody Allen as Voice

Directed by: Eric Darnell, Tim Johnson
Written by: Todd Alcott (screenplay), Chris Weitz (screenplay)
Starring: Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman
Running Time: 1hr 23mins

Antz is one for the kids. Unlike the Pixar and many Disney movies, this Dreamworks creation doesn’t really have the depth of levels that can draw in an adult audience. The animation is fine, the story is fine and the humor works. But Antz is more gritty and rough at the edges than other childrens films. Alongside A Bugs Life, it’s difficult to choose between the two. Suffice it to be said that Antz is a story well told, not a documentary and should be judged as such.

8. A Midsummer Nights’s Sex Comedy – 1982 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer, Director and Star

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, José Ferrer
Running Time: 1hr 28mins

A Midsummer Nights’s Sex Comedy was Woody Allens first collaboration with Mia Farrow with who he went on to have a, let’s say, complex real life relationship. The movie set’s out to be, and largely is, a comedy. It’s a period piece with no great message and is entirely free of New York angst. Thank goodness. Fans of Allen will be aware of this oft forgotten gem and, even if you’re unfamily with it, the movie is well worth a watch or a rewatch.

7. Everything you always wanted to know about sex – 1972 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer, Director and Actor

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: David Reuben book, Woody Allen screenplay
Starring: Woody Allen, Gene Wilder, Louise Lasser
Running Time: 1hr 28mins

It is reported that Woody Allen never actually read Davis Reubens book, he just took the chapter titles and invented the seven scenarios that the movie depicts. Sex is an awkward subject when taken head on but Allen pulls off a great piece of very approachable comedy. The loose attempt to try and tie the seven elements together, the use of aphrodisiacs for example, is largely irrelevant. This is simply one of his better pieces of work.

6. Whatever Works – 2009 US only

Woody Allen as Writer and Director

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Larry David, Henry Cavill
Running Time: 1hr 33mins

And here we go with the New York angst. And Woody Allen’s three lifelong obsessions as well – sex, dying and intellect. Whatever Works was actually written in the 1970s and dusted off and updated by Allen for the 21st century. We have to wonder how Boris would have come across in the 70s because by 2209 he really is a rather unpleasant grumpy old man. And this taints some of the comedy sadly. The idea that individuals can find happiness, however, brings the find to a nice conclusion.

5. Blue Jasmine – 2013 US only

Woody Allen as Writer and Director

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard
Running Time: 1hr 38mins

In Blue Jasmine we pick up New York (spot the recurring theme) and put it down in San Fransico. Cate Blanchett delivers, arguably, her finest performance and bagged, quite rightly the Oscar. She also bagged the Golden Globe and the BAFTA which doesn’t always happen. Unusually for Alllen, this movie is pure drama and deep social comentary. Don’t expect laughs. The inspiration is Ruth Madoff, Bernie Madoffs estranged wife, and we all know how horribly wrong that true life story went.

4. Midnight in Paris – 2011 US only

Woody Allen as Writer and Director

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen (Oscar)
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
Running Time: 1hr 34mins

Midnight in Paris is a romcom in the finest sense of the genre. Of course, we have to ask which the object of the romatic attention; Paris or the girl? The conceit is that the 1920s were the golden age of Paris which was full of Americans at the time. As the story unfolds we laugh with Owen Wilson but at the same time take the message of the movie on board. Allen’s Oscar win for the screenplay says it all.

3. Play It Again Sam – 1972 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer and Actor

Directed by: Herbert Ross
Written by: Woody Allen (based on the play by), Woody Allen (screenplay)
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts
Running Time: 1hr 34mins

The line Play It Again Sam was never used in the movie Casablanca. And Humphrey Bogart wasn’t the character who didn’t say it either. Good – we’ve got that cleared up. To get the best out of the movie (adapted from Allen’s Broadway play) it’s necessary to have a viewing of Casablanca. The references are far and wide. Interestingly, the surprise ending of the Bogart movie is revealed in the first scene of the Allen movie.

2. Love and Death – 1975 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer, Director by and Actor

Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Georges Adet
Running Time: 1hr 34mins

Another of the many Woody Allen Diane Keaton collaborations, Love and Death is another period piece, a comedy set against the Russian Army’s fight against Napoleon. While Annie Hall is usually recognised as Allen’s finest movie, Love and Death is usually recognised as his funniest. The comedy is offbeat but laugh out loud funny. The direction is exceptional and the acting immaculate.

1. Annie Hall – 1977 UK only

Woody Allen as Writer, Director and Actor

Directed by: Woody Allen (Oscar)
Written by: Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman (Oscar)
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts
Running Time: 1hr 33mins

Annie Hall is a romcom with extraordinary depths. The chemistry between Allen and Keaton is almost tangible and takes us through 70’s politics, drugs, East Coast/West Coast rivalry, narcissism, religion, celebrity and many other subjects. Allens earlier movies relied on one-liners reminiscent of his stand up days. Annie Hall goes so much further. There’s no search for cheap laughs and every line in the movie has improtance and meaning. This movie will last in the pantheon of all time greats.

Written by

Tim helped co-found What's on Netflix with Kasey back in 2013 after a career in publishing covering both the skiing and the scuba diving sectors. Tim loves the older movies and cult classics which shines through in his features and top movies list. Tim also maintains the central database for What's on Netflix driving the A-Z library. Tim resides in Norwich, UK.