Review of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) by Seth K — 05 Jan 2009

Beyond a doubt, one of Woody Allen's best, posing the thought-provoking question, could you get away with murder? An ophthalmologist (superlatively portrayed by Martin Landau) who is seemingly an upstanding pillar of genteel upper class Jewish society - in NY of course - ends up killing the demanding mistress (Angelica Huston) who is threatening to lift the lid on their affair.

He is grimly determined not to lose all he has fought for (family, wife, position in life) and, shockingly, only superficially wrangles with his conscience over committing the act. It ends up being a case of can he get away with it, rather than has he committed an irredeemable sin for which God will punish him.

Being Woody Allen, there are a few other less serious but equally absorbing subplots frenetically interwoven into the main - for example the life-affirming philosopher Woody Allen's downtrodden character is so in awe of, who uncharacteristically commits suicide and leaves a cryptic note, "I've gone out the window" - Woody Allen comically quips, "This guy was a role model.

You'd think he'd leave a DECENT note"! The film works on so many complex and sharply humourous levels, and yet fundementally asks questions about life/death, conviction and morality; not unusual for Woody Allen.

But there are no neat answers to human behaviour. How often does a murderer get away with killing in a movie? And, chillingly, ends up justifying the heinous deed to himself, in the denouement where his character and Woody Allen's finally get to share a scene.

This film flouts a lot of viewing "comfort zones" regarding how characters "should" redeem themselves and all be right with the world in the end, and, for me anyway, says a great deal about the fact that no-one can truly know what lies (good/bad) in another person's heart.