ONE OF WOODY ALLEN'S EARLIER, MORE SLAPSTICK-ORIENTED EFFORTS, BANANAS TELLS THE STORY OF FIELDING MELLISH (ALLEN), A NEUROTIC NEW YORKER WHO FOLLOWS THE OBJECT OF HIS AFFECTIONS, NANCY (LOUISE LASSER), TO THE FICTIONAL CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY OF SAN MARCOS, WHERE SHE IS INVOLVED IN A REVOLUTION. NANCY WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH FIELDING, BUT HE SOON BECOMES A GUEST OF THE COUNTRY'S DICTATOR (CARLOS MONTALBAN), BEFORE ACCIDENTALLY BECOMING THE LEADER OF SAN MARCOS HIMSELF. FIELDING IS EVENTUALLY SHIPPED BACK TO THE US AND TRIED AS A SUBVERSIVE, BUT BEING THAT THIS IS A COMEDY, AND AN ESPECIALLY LIGHT ONE AT THAT, EVERYTHING WORKS OUT IN THE END. A FAR CRY FROM ALLEN'S LATER, MORE SOMBER FILMS, BANANAS STILL WORKS AS AN OFTEN HILARIOUS AMALGAM OF SIGHT GAGS, ONE-LINERS, AND BIZARRE ASIDES.