PopSpots - Woody Allen & Louise Lasser - Bananas (1971) - The Break-up Scene

This is my favorite scene from the movie. In it, Woody, playing Fielding Mellish, is trying to save his relationship with Louise Lasser*, who plays his about-to-be-ex-girlfriend Nancy. Things don't go so well for Woody. (*Woody's 2nd wife in real life.)

I always figured that the scene was shot in Central Park, but when I searched for the curved steps I could not find any exactly like that in the park.

The stonework on the side of the steps seemed like Morningside Park or Riverside Park, too, but that didn't pan out .

Then I googled "curved steps park New York City" and a set of steps mirroring the ones in the movie showed up in about result #30. They were from Carl Schurz Park located on the Upper East Side. The mayor's residence is located in the park.

I could tell I had match, so I went up there the next day and took some pictures. This is one of those places that years ago I thought I would never know the location of, so it was very cool to be right where it all took place.

I've included a link to the four-minute scene on YouTube at the bottom of the entry.

Louise and Woody start to break up on the bridge.

The bridge.

The PopSpot.

The Bridge they were on, which they will later walk under.

Walking down the steps.

The steps in Carl Schurtz Park in real life.

The PopSpot.

As they discuss who is to "give" and who is to "receive" - they walk under the bridge.

In a vertical panoramic shot, here's looking down from the bridge, with them walking under it.

As she leaves him, he defiantly tell's her he's "like a cat." and will always land on his feet. Then he breaks down sobbing. These are the steps in the movie:

Here are the real steps.

Woody saying: "I'm like a cat!"

The PopSpot.

All the scenes take place near this well-known walkway along the East River called Findlay Walk inside of Carl Schurz Park.

Carl Schurz Park from the air. It is located the upper East Side of Manhattan.

Here's the scene on YouTube.