Manhattan

Rating:
Summary: Very strange, so I guess it's very Woody
Review: This is a Woody Allen classic and to me it was a bit strange. I enjoyed the movie, because I knew what to expect from Allen, but for those of you who have not seen any of his movies before, I suggest that you get another movie before this one.

Rating:
Summary: Nearly Perfect
Review: In Manhattan Woody Allen created a tightly structured funny and meaningful movie that is enormously entertaining on so many levels. The opening sequence with beautiful views of NYC in black and white is good enough to stand on it's own in a Photo gallery. The acting is wonderful across the board. The script is one of Allen's best. Despite the excellent acting and the fine scrrenplay the star of this movie for me is New York itself. No other film I can think of captures the essence of Manhattan as well as this. As a native New Yorker I get homesick everytime I watch this. Great movie making from a true artist at the height of his creative powers...what else can I say.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant...
Review: ...bittersweet, funny, touching and obviously made with a lot of care and love, Manhattan is just great! Every single frame of this film would make for a beautiful photo.

Rating:
Summary: AFI 's Love Stories #66: Manhattan
Review: When Woody Allen won the Oscar (in abstentia) for writing and directing "Annie Hall," which also won the Oscar for Best Picture, it was assumed the stand-up comic turned auteur had reached the pinnacle of his career. Then Allen proceeded to go out and make an even better film with his next effort, "Manhattan." Filmed in glorious black & white (and widescreen) by the great cinematographer Gordon Willis, the opening sequence combining indelible images of New York City with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is a paean to city Allen loves and the most rhapsodical sequence in any of his films.

Rather than talking about the plot per se, "Manhattan" is best explained as a convoluted series of wrecked and ruined relationships centering around Allen's character, Isaac Davis. Isaac is divorced from Jill (Meryl Streep), who is now living with Connie (Karen Ludwig), and planning to write an expose on her marriage. Isaac is having an affair with 17-year-old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), but then he meets Mary (Diane Keaton), the mistress of his best friend Yale (Michael Murphy), who is married to Emily (Anne Byrne). Ultimately, however, this is not a film about love, but rather a film about loss, because you just know that forced to make choices, Isaac is going to make the wrong ones. Tracy and Mary are characters constructed as such polar opposites and it never dawns on Isaac to focus more on what each has than on what they lack.

Of course, today this film is obviously open to reinterpretation given Allen's very public personal life and it is now assumed that the Isaac-Tracy relationship was a sign of things to come rather than a dramatic construction. If you can get away from the film's Freudian implications then you can appreciate Hemingway's Oscar nominated performance, which is not only at the heart of the film but provides its heart as well. In contrast, Keaton's Mary is rather soulless (the anti-Annie Hall if you will). When the choice is so clear the fault is clearly not in the women, but rather in the character of Isaac (or lack of character, as the case might be). The ending is certainly the most bitter sweet of any Allen film to date.

Most Romantic Lines (remember, this is a Woody Allen film): (1) "I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics"; (2) "Yeah! I can tell, a lot. That's, well, a lot is my favorite number", and, of course, (3) "Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what... okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong, recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ... Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra ... um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ..."

If you enjoyed "Manhattan" then check out these other films on the AFI's list of 100 Greatest Love Stories of All Time: #11 "Annie Hall," #25 "When Harry Met Sally," and #35 "Gigi." Why? The first because it is also Woody Allen, the second because it also takes place in NYC and involves making the wrong choice and then running to the woman to do something about it, and the third because it also thanks heaven for little girls...

Rating:
Summary: ***** Fantastic *****
Review: Clearly one of Woody Allen^s best movies. I saw years ago and again on television last night. I'm buying the DVD. Cast, Crew, Script, cinematography all perfection. It is also a gracious Tribute to New York, a city Mr. Allen truly adores. Bravo

Rating:
Summary: Among the best of the 70's, certainly Allen's best film.
Review: What a film! Gorgeous cinematography, great dialogue and acting. Also, you gotta love that Gershwin score. A must buy.

Rating:
Summary: New York, New York
Review: "Manhattan" is the prime example of how a great New York movie should be: A complicated romantic comedy/drama filmed in gorgeous black and white, flowing to the legendary tunes of George Gershwin, written and directed by the urban poet of this crazy city, Woody Allen. I fell head over heels in love with this movie and have made it a habit to watch it every weekend. Woody Allen really broke the cinema mold when he made this one. C'mon! How many movies do you know that were made in 1979 that were filmed in black and white? It's a soulful, witty story of a television writer named Issac, played by Woody Allen, who is in a relationship with a beautiful teenage girl, Tracy, played by Mariel Hemingway, then he falls for his friend's intelligent mistress, Mary, played by Diane Keaton. As the film goes on, arguements are heated, hearts are broken, and Gershwin plays on. This film has such a timeless quality that one could watch it now and never think that it was made many years ago. Powered by mesmerizing performances by Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, and Mariel Hemingway, this film deserves every piece of praise it has been given. It also has one of the most endearing endings ever made with Tracy telling a heartbroken Issac, "Everyone gets corrupted. You have to have a little faith in people". That line shouldn't be meant to be heard just by Issac, but by many people who live during these anxiety-ridden times. "Manhattan" is one of those movies that stay under your skin a long time. Buy it now!

Rating:
Summary: Luminous and wonderful!
Review: It makes me sad (not to mention angry) that some people make the statement that this movie is about "a child molestor." The same people who say this are the ones that praise "There's Something About Mary" and "American Pie" for it's "comic innovativeness." This is NOT a documentary, it is simply a situation, and Tracy (the girl) was not forced into her position as girlfriend--it is a choice. Let's not forget this was the 70s, and while that's not an excuse, shame on those who imply that this beautiful movie is simply about a man and an underage girl.

That said, this is one of the most gorgeous movies ever made. Although "Hannah and Her Sisters" is probably my favorite Woody Allen movies, this is Allen's cinematic masterpiece. Words can't describe how beautiful the lights of Manhattan look as they sparkle through the trees in Central Park. But the acting shines as well. Diane Keaton is both hilarious and sad as a neurotic woman who is so full of herself and yet so unlucky in love; Woody Allen plays a divorced, neurotic man (shocker. . .); and while Mariel Hemingway isn't terrible, the tone of her voice and her manner did grate on my nerves a little. . .but that didn't ruin the movie at all. She is the voice of reason not only to Issac (Allen's character) but for the entire film.

It's a true testament to the genius of Allen that his movies, which usually end so sad, can still fill you with hope. It's as if he's telling the audience that it's the journey, not the destination, that's important. Everything about "Manhattan" shines, even after more than 20 years. I highly suggest this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it.

Rating:
Summary: Rhapsody In Black And White
Review: Most people have a love/hate relationship with their hometown. Only Woody Allen has put his relationship on film and set it to the music of George Gershwin. In his 1979 release "Manhattan," Allen stars as Isaac Davis, a writer who's watching his life fall apart. He writes for a TV show, but quits over the the quality of the skits. His ex-wife, Jill (Meryl Streep, who won an Oscar that year for "Kramer Vs. Kramer"), who left Isaac for another woman, has written a tell-all book about their marriage that is very unflattering to Isaac. The 42-year-old Isaac is involved with Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), who's 25 years his junior, yet shares his tastes and says she thinks she loves him. Isaac constantly discourages this talk, even though Tracy wants him to live with her in London, where she's planning to study once she turns eighteen.

His best friend, a teacher and writer named Yale (Michael Murphy, who co-starred with Allen in "The Front"), is having a secret affair with another writer, Mary Wilke (Diane Keaton). Mary, though, wants to know if Yale will choose her or his wife, Emily (Anne Byrne). On a restless Sunday where Yale is away with Emily, Mary gets Isaac to go out with her, though nothing intimate happens. Later, Yale breaks up with Mary, who turns to Isaac, even though Isaac is constantly perplexed by Mary's tastes and attitudes ("I'm from Philadelphia. We believe in God," is one of Mary's statements). Isaac wants what he cannot get - the upper hand in a relationship.

"Manhattan" is a wonderful study of parallels and contradictions, as well as a funny and insightful look at the "Me Generation" of the seventies. Both Isaac and Yale have great soulmates, yet they want something else. Both seem destined to create heartbreak for themselves and for their loved ones, even though the twice-divorced Isaac tells Tracy at one point, "People should mate for life, like pigeons and Catholics." Just like Mary wants to impose her intellectual standards on everyone, Isaac wants to impose his way of living on both Tracy and Jill. Isaac describes Manhattan as his metaphor for a decaying culture and lowering of intellectual standards, yet he cannot imagine living anywhere else. Like "Annie Hall," we see a man looking at life, love, and relationships, yet still grasping to learn from his mistakes. "Manhattan," though, is more present tense and more serious than "Annie Hall."

The late seventies marked a period of great growth for Allen as an artist. In the drama "The Front," he showed he could integrate his screen persona with somebody else's words. In "Interiors," he showed he was equally capable of creating a moving, serious film of his own. "Annie Hall" mixes wit and wisdom as well as I've seen the two mixed. "Manhattan" shows Allen improving the look and the sound of his pictures. Gordon Willis creates beautiful black and white imagery, especially in the opening and closing montages. I also enjoyed the shots of Isaac and Mary at the planetarium and enjoying a sunrise. The Gershwin tunes on the soundtrack are lovingly conducted by Zubin Metha and Michael Tilson Thomas.

While Allen brought in actors like Keaton and Murphy, who worked well with Allen before, he also gave Streep and Hemingway (in an Oscar-nominated performance) some great exposure early in their film careers. Streep is cold and angry as Jill, and some of it is understandable because Isaac wants to be controlling, even though they're no longer married. Jill's stares at Isaac seem to jump right out of the screen to grab attention. Hemingway comes across as the person with her head on the straightest. Tracy is sweeter and smarter than Isaac deserves. I like that Tracy knows what she wants, and repeatedly tells that to Isaac, who seems to be deaf to her arguments. Other performers have notable cameos, such as Karen Allen ("Animal House") and David Rasche ("Sledge Hammer") as actors on the show where Isaac works. Wallace Shawn ("My Dinner With Andre") appears as Mary's ex-husband, Jeremiah, who is described by his ex as dominating, but comes across as anything but that. Bella Abzug, who represented New York in the seventies in Congress and was at the forefront for equal rights for women, is the guest speaker at a party attended by Isaac and Mary.

As the seventies ended, so did Allen's creative partnerships with two people who helped make his films so memorable. "Manhattan" marked the last appearance of Keaton in an Allen film until "Radio Days" eight years later. Marshall Brickman, who co-wrote this film, "Annie Hall," and "Sleeper" with him, turned to directing himself in the eighties, though none of his efforts ("Simon," "Lovesick," and "The Manhattan Project") are nearly as memorable as his work with Allen. However, Brickman and Allen collaborated again on Allen's 1993 film, "Manhattan Murder Mystery," which starred Allen and Keaton. It seemed like they were never really away.

"Manhattan" is a successful marriage of comedy, drama, and images of a place that has meant a great deal to Allen. The image that struck me the most in my most recent viewing of the film was the one of fireworks in the Manhattan night sky. It's a sign of happier times in a place that came under such a terrible attack. Like Isaac, Manhattan is now in a state of recovery. Someday, people will celebrate such a sight in that sky again. Until then, we have these pictures and stories that seem so far away now.

Rating:
Summary: "One of the great American films..."
Review: Woody Allen, reaching a new level of artistic maturity, is at his best with this intelligent, absorbing character study. Far superior to his earlier "Annie Hall", the film is essentially better realized. Great cast, settings, music, writing, characers, and gorgeous widescreen b&w cinematography. One of the great American films, Allen remians one of cinema's most talented, albeit eccentirc, filmmakers.