Crimes and Misdemeanors
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Movie Reviews of Crimes and Misdemeanors
Movie Review: Woody Allen's finest serious film
Summary: 5 Stars
In Crimes and Misdemeanors, Woody Allen recalls the work of the great European directors (especially Bergman's soul-searching preoccupation with matters of faith). Two stories unfold in parallel: that of a successful ophthalmologist (played by Martin Landau), whose predicament with an extra-marital affair causes him to do the unthinkable; and a the serio-comic flirtations of a small-time documentary film-maker (played by Allen himself) contemplating his own extramarital romp with a production assistant (Mia Farrow). Landau's character, Judah Rosenthal, afraid of ruination, calls upon his brother (Law and Order's Jerry Orbach) to make his little indiscretion "disappear". She disappears, all right - into oblivion, the victim of a hit-man Orbach's character met through his years in the restaurant business.
Allen's character, by far much lighter and more innocent, is trying to finance a documentary on an upbeat Holocaust survivor and Philosophy professor by condescending to make a television biography of his shallow, egotistical brother-in-law, a famous sit-com producer (Alan Alda).
What these two stories have in common is a deepening ethical dilemma posed by the ambiguity of moral standards in the absence of religious faith. Although raised in a traditionally religious Jewish household, Judah is not, himself, a believer - at least, until the guilt of his mistress' murder presses down upon him almost unbearably. Then he begins to fantasize that he will be caught and punished, if only because the seeing eye of God is everywhere, and He will make certain of it. Similarly, Allen's character is driven to the point of crisis not only by his failure to snag his own mistress, but by the suicide of the professor whose life seemed the very model of spiritual triumph in the face of adversity.
What emerges from the convergence of these two stories is a great envy and baleful respect for those who can have faith. Faith is a gift, as one character points out, like musical talent. It is the ability to walk in darkness, oblivious to the probable truth that there is only chaos in the Universe, and be contented in that ignorance.
The DVD lacks a director's commentary or any other nice features, but it is handsomely produced, with the work of cinematographer Sven Nykvist (long-time collaborator of Igmar Bergman) beautifully showcased. Anjelica Houston and Sam Waterston lend excellent support as Judah's mistress and a rabbi patient who is gradually losing his sight.
For those viewers who enjoy philosophical depth in films, and who eschew easy, predigested answers, this film is most certainly a must-see.
Movie Review: Wow. Simply amazing.
Summary: 5 Stars
Words cannot decribe how amazing this movie is. Well, actually, they can - otherwise I wouldn't be writing this. I suggest watching this movie on a Saturday afternoon with a friend or group of people, and then going out for coffee to discuss it. It's one of those rare movies that raises so many questions that are just waiting to be talked about. Woody Allen has always made us laugh, and it's unfortunate that his more dramatic features, such as "Interiors" aren't more popular. Fortunately, he combines his wit with his wisdom in "Crimes and Misdemeanors."
This movie is more like two short films combined to make one film. There are two plots, and the two protagonists meet in the end. In one, there's the typical light Woody fare with Woody playing an unsuccessful documentary filmmaker who is coerced into making a film about his obnoxious brother-in-law, a tv show producer. He falls in love with an executive producer, which would be fine except for two things: 1.)she doesn't feel the same way, and 2)he's married.
The other, more dramatic story deals with Judah Rosenthal, a successful opthmalogist , philanthropist, and family man who has a secret: he had an affair with another woman. He borke it off, but now the woman has threatened to tell his wife and others about his infedelity and other deeds. he speaks to a rabbi client (also Woody's brother-in-law), who says that he needs to tell his wife in order to free himself. He also talks to his brother. His solution? Have her killed.
The acting is absolutely riveting. Martin Landau is terrific as a tormented man who cannot choose between his morals and the life he leads. And Anjelica Huston is incredible as a woman pushed to the edge. The rest of the cast shines as well. Allen always has creative casting and it always seems to work.
I cannot tell you how this movie gets into your psyche. At one point, the rabbi tells Judah, "It's a human life. You don't think God sees?" Judah's reply, "God is a luxury I can't afford." Wow. Who do we sympathize with? The man who is guilt ridden, or the woman he strung along for two years? The man who's in love with a woman, or his wife? Allen never forces us to choose.
My favorite scene is a flashback scene with Judah's family. The family is at a seder (passover) dinner, and is talking about God. This scene in particular raises such fantastic theological questions: If we, as humans, get away with something bad that we did on earth, are we still punished in the afterlife? Does one have to choose between God and the truth? What would you choose?
Movie Review: One of My Favorite Woody Allen Films
Summary: 5 Stars
Up until last years Match Point, Crimes and Misdemeanors was considered
Woody Allen's last great film. I've only seen 3 Woody Allen films (not counting Match Point) that came out after C&M and before MP, but I'd have to agree. Crimes & Misdemeanors is a film that ranks right up there with Allen's greatest work. Films like The Purple Rose of Cairo and Annie Hall.
It's a perfect blend of drama and comedy. In fact, Match Point was kind of a retread of this film. The drama without the comedy. This movie stars Martin Landau ('Ed Wood') as Judah Rosenthal, an eye-doctor (I don't remember the term for one) who's been having an affair with a woman named Dolores (Anjelica Huston, 'Buffalo 66'). Problem is, he's tried to break it off but Dolores isn't having it. She's, instead, threatened to expose his infidelity to his wife. He's barely intercepted the letters. He looks to a patient, a rabbi (Sam Waterston, 'The Killing Fields'), for help...But it's not working. When he turns to his mobster brother Jack (Jerry Orbach, 'Law & Order') for help. Jack suggests murder. Judah reluctantly gives in. Meanwhile, a filmmaker named Cliff Stern (Allen) is tapped by his brother-in-law Lester (Alan Alda,'Mahattan Murder Mystery') to make a documentary special on him. Cliff hates Lester, but isn't getting work anywhere else. While working on it, Cliff meets Halley Reed (Mia Farrow, 'Rosemary's Baby') whom he falls for, despite being married. In typical Woody Allen style, the film is fueled mostly by conversations between the main characters. I liked his ploy of showing clips of old movies (as a character was watching them) that kind of went over what was occurring in his own movie. The movie is separated into comedy and drama, kind of like Allen's "Melinda and Melinda." The drama part is the Judah plot. The comedy is the Cliff plot. Although both of them drift into the other category occasionally. They both finally come together at the end. The movie simultaneously reminded me of Match Point and Manhattan. The former for obvious reasons, the latter because the endings are similar in what happens to Allen's character. Anyway, the acting is great of course. As is the dialogue, as always. There's a lot of great one-liners ("I haven't been inside a woman since I visited the statue of Liberty") and some physical bits of humor as well. If you're a fan of Woody Allen, you'll definitely love it.
GRADE: A
Movie Review: TEN STARS
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my favorite fil of all time!
Two elements combine magnificently to create this masterpiece: the script and the actors.
The director does a fine job, but mostly by restraining himself so as not to distract from the story, the dialogue, and the characters. I know some people see this as an argument against God's existance and therefore feel a pious need to trash it. I would argue, however, that it is no such thing. There have been enough movies about how the universe tends to right the wrongs of human design, the fact is that doesn't always happen, ON THIS EARTH. To say that there is no divine hand guiding the lives of people who sail through this mortal existance is not necasserily an argument that there is no divine hand at all. This and films like it (the Seventh Seal comes to mind) are more about the truth of the human condition than the truth of the divine condition. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people, many times good things happen to you BECAUSE you're bad, and vice-verse. Ideally, the righteous are rewarded and the evil punished, but we do not live in an ideal world. Unfortunatley, film and literature are not resplendent with the truth of this reality. The meek have yet to inherit the earth, and that's exactly what this movie is about. It does not argue atheism, it represents human experience and presents to us the very real temptation to lose hope, but it ends with a plea from beyond the grave (the grave of someone who did lose hope) that we have faith in the small joys of life and look forward with optimism. Why should we retain hope? Because the triumph of the human spirit is that we continue to move forward, and hopefully we learn from past mistakes and our posterity may yet find that extra happiness which eluded us.
Enough postulation about God and Atheism, this is a fantastic movie. Martin Landau's performance is the greatest ever preserved on celluloid, coupled with his performance on "Ed Wood", I would argue that he is the greatest actor of the twentieth century!
Do your self a favor and watch this film, examine life and ask yourself what it means.
Thank you, Woody.
Movie Review: (much) better than Bergman
Summary: 5 Stars
Bergman, Schmergman -- give me the *Wood*man, any day. Allen's movies have more than extreme close-ups of exquisitely sensitive people enduring the torture of being oh-so-aware. for example, they have sparkling dialogue and an interesting plot. Crimes and Misdemeanors, Allen's most mature work, addresses the eternal question plaguing the liberal psyche: is life nothing more than maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain? if so, what? and, how can we know? needless to say, Allen doesn't carve easy answers into tablets of stone; instead, he weaves a mandala-patterned tapestry.
an ophthalmologist (Martin Landau) is treating a rabbi who is going blind. the rabbi is a thoroughly decent man who is hoping to still be able to dance with his daughter at her upcoming wedding. the ophthalmologist is planning to have his mistress (Angelica Houston) killed because she is threatening to expose him to his wife, the IRS, etc. the rabbi winds up blind; the ophthalmologist winds up receiving an award for professional virtue.
meanwhile, a failed documentary maker (played by Allen himself) meets a film editor (Mia Farrow). though he is already married, they find each other perfectly in tune (heh, heh). however, she deflects his amorous attentions in favor of a grossly insensitive, egomaniacal, shallow, intellectually pretentious film producer (Alan Alda) -- who can do wonders for her career.
Allen's character has been trying to finish a documentary about a psychologist/philosopher/Holocaust-survivor who counsels people that, no matter what, life *does* have meaning beyond the pleasure/pain principle. things don't work out too well for him, either. and, Allen's character, playing someone exactly like himself (*except*, without the big time career), winds up all alone in the end -- his 'loveability quotient' notwithstanding. (*now* he tells me!)
i've seen this film 3 times, and will no doubt see it again. seriously thoughtful, yet cleverly entertaining -- filmmaking doesn't get better than this.