Review of Love and Death (2013) by Davide R — 30 Apr 2010

After the futuristic slapstick of Sleeper (1973) and before the Oscar glory of Annie Hall (1977), Woody Allen took on Leo Tolstoy and Imperialist Russia. It is one of his funniest and best films with some of his best dialogue and comedy.

It also marked where he was going, he was maturing as a director, and was heading towards the so called 'later, serious films'. In this, it has Napoleon invading Russia, and Boris Grushenko (Allen), a coward, being drafted up to fight with his two brothers.

But, despite his cowardise, he is able to cause a group of French generals to surrender and he ends up marrying his cousin Sonya (Diane Keaton), who he has always loved, but she had married a fish merchant, who accidentally shot himself with his own pistol.

Boris and Sonya's marriage has little money but plenty of philosophical debates. Sonya comes up with the bright idea of killing Napoleon, which Boris is against. This is the most epic of Allen's early comedies, and very thoughtful too.

It's beautifully shot by Ghislain Cloquet, and the locations used in Paris and Hungary are exquisite. Allen's dialogue is amongst his best, and some of the set pieces are well staged. Allen was never like this again.