Written & Directed By: Woody Allen
Cinematography By: Gordon Willis
Editor: Susan E. Morse
Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Jackie Gayle, Milton Berle, Paul Greco, Michael Badalucco
Danny Rose is a manager of artists, and although he's not very successful, he nevertheless goes out of his way to help his acts. So when Lou Canova, a singer who has a chance of making a come-back, asks Danny to help him with a problem, Danny helps him. This problem is Lou's mistress Tina. Lou wants Tina to be at his concerts, otherwise he can't perform, but he's married, so Danny has to take her along as if she was his girlfriend. Danny however gets more than he has bargained for when two mobsters come looking for the guy who has hurt their brother by stealing the heart of Tina, the girl he loves.
The film has a loyalty theme that grabs you by the end. In between the laughs.
A friendship not necessarily a romance develops between the main characters. That showcases an intimacy that both never thought they were capable of.
The black and white film, Makes the movie timeless and feel like a classic of a long ago simpler era. Yet it also makes the film not seem to age as badly. It makes everything look not only beautiful, but classic.
Most of the movie's undisclosed flashback time-frame can be established as being the era of the late 1960s, and around the year of 1969, due to a reference made about the moon landing.
While this film gives a certain realism to the proceedings and has a certain heaviness. It also lends itself to light comedy and situations, you can barely takes seriously. Not necessarily fluff, bit a more easy going vibe. that reminds us why we go to the films. At least some of us and appreciate Cinema for all the films that are a slice of life. Gritty and give insight to dramatic that fascinate, bit you hope you yourself are never really involve or were and see similarities on the screen.
For others it is a great escape from day to day life that lets them totally escape like an amusement park ride or experience a heightened reality. That is fun to Visit and enough to take you away for a few hours.
The film Is filled with witty one-liners the and lends itself to be more of a screwball comedy. Sort of an appreciation to classic catskills comedians who sit around and narrate the tale.
Woody Allen seems to find talent and Interest in people's faces to let them sell the jokes and emotions of the character in this film In particular. He also seems to find an interest in characters in this film that could have easily been written off as one note or that are misfits written off by others and enriching them With a certain Interest and dignity. Having them form A little Family.
One of the reasons I can truly identify with this film. Like myself at times. I feel like I give everything, too much in some instances to help out friends, family, colleagues. But when the time comes and I need some help or some guidance or even a shoulder to cry on, it has been my experience that most would not do the same for me. It hurt at the times, but I'm still that type of person who will help out a friend, I have learned to only depend on myself and anytime I watch this film I am reminded of that.
I can identify with this character more then it seems any others in not only this film, but other woody Allen films. As here the character seems to have no real needs other than making his clients happy. Then have that sense of abandonment when they are successful. His friends/clients are a merry band of misfits that only he can see the buried or obvious talent and beauty in them that will eventually win others over. Though at the time most are ready to write than off it only laugh at them not necessarily in their favor.
When trying to be heroic thinking he will be tough and brave yet resorting or reacting with cowardice
A nostalgic fairy tale with an all too familiar metropolitan reality though a story of a sad sack. It's still powerful movie making --While It also shows the power of connecting with a person. It’s more about the intimacy of friendship not necessarily romantic fantasy. Partnership more than anything.
As usual Woody Allen creates identifiable comedic personae, that have become iconic itself. The world over and Is equal parts Charlie Chaplin, Milton Berle, The Marx Brothers and Sid Ceaser who he used to write for. The physical comedy, the wit and the look. So much we wish we were him in given situations. He always seems to think of a witty punch line so quickly, be the smartest guy in the too. Or be so funny and fast. So much that in the 70's he was seen as a kind of sex symbol. The audience believed that was how he was in life. It was only a persona. Sure the image has a few things to do with him as an actual person a kind of comedic ID of himself the better version of himself by his own design and in full control of the situations. The personae has become so iconic that even when he's not in his own movies the leads be it male or female try to do their own version of it. It seems as the Character.
Martin Scorsese is my favorite filmmaker, but Woody Allen is who If (and when) I make my own films. They would mostly seem to be inspired by his.
For years when asked to describe myself, my answer would be the black version of Woody Allen. The same characteristics nervous, funny, intelligent, short, nerdy, nebbish, romantic, obsessed with death, well read. His movies seem to give off a window into a high society and culture. That some of us never get a real view of. Something most of want to experience, but so far never have. Yet he and we still analyze that culture.
One of the few differences is he has always gotten the girl with ease and finesse, just has problems staying and dealing with the relationships aspect, but becomes scared and nervous when it comes to physical fights. Me I'm the opposite when it comes to the same. I'm not gung-ho, I'm no shrinking violet, but when it comes to girls I like or am attracted to. I'm a nervous wreck to the point of dishevelment.
This film seem to be one of the few where he allows his character 3 dimensions doesn't get the girl exactly because he didn't want her. This is not a love story though involves love. It shows a certain respect and isn't exactly a winner at the end.
The films shows a certain maturity and pleases the audience while not going totally into the conventional path.
It is also a love letter to the old classic stand-up and club comics of yesteryear as they are turbines telling the story at the Iconic Carnegie deli.
It's like an incident laden short story that leads to a bigger grand one
One truth you can learn from the films of woody Allen. Just because a story is depressing doesn't make it more true to life what makes certain cinema true to life is, it just doesn't end on the happy parts or expose those solely. Life has up's and down's, endings that come out of nowhere and never expected. Things are left unsaid usually. No Certain time limits. There is bad in the good and good in the bad and just certain minute aspects. We all must do in Between the pain and the fun. When it comes to Woody Allen. I appreciate he goes for both separately and more times mixes the sweet and melancholy together.
Actors Danny Aiello, Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone were considered for the role of Lou Canova. Apparently, Woody Allen initially offered the part to Stallone. In the end, Nick Apollo Forte was cast. Though Stallone in the role would more explain Farrow’s character attraction being so strong to him.
Woody Allen's manager and producer, Jack Rollins, was the inspiration for the Danny Rose character. Rollins appears in the movie as himself.
Not only was this written for Mia farrow based on a random woman they saw eating in the same restaurant trying to create her life and past. I believe it also allowed woody to reveal a personal sentimentality and soft side without going overboard and basing the characters on people he met coming up through his career. So it's a bit autobiographical without officially being it. The reason Mia Farrow wears sunglasses most of the film is that Woody Allen did not feel she could pass herself as a tough Italian "broad", so he had her wear the sunglasses most of the film to hide her eyes, making her seem more sultry and mysterious. The only time she removes the sunglasses is when her character is supposed to be more vulnerable.
While he has this personae it was one creates before the films an alter ego a heightened cooler version of himself that he brought with him to his films. Which was a successful transition. That a lot of filmmakers make the mistake of trying to do without the audience getting to know you. Thinking they are that interesting. Which can come off as more a home video or living out a fantasy instead of telling a story meant to entertain.
According to ERIC LAX 's book, this movie is one of Woody Allen 's favorite films which are (in order): MATCH POINT (2005), THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (1985), STARDUST MEMORIES (1980), BROADWAY DANNY ROSE (1984), and MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY (1993).
Grade: A+
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