Review of Manhattan (1979) by Daniel P — 07 Dec 2012

''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 Wilie 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...''.

A divorced New Yorker currently dating a high-schooler brings himself to look for love in the mistress of his best friend instead.

Woody Allen: Isaac Davis.

Diane Keaton: Mary Wilkie.

If Annie Hall was the funniest of the comedy/drama movies that Woody made, then Manhattan really is a focused studied look at relationships.

Not opting for visual jokes that were used in Annie Hall instead Manhattan concentrates on the essence of the issue of relationship. As Broadway Danny Rose said ''Can I interject?", well Allen interjects a lot during this film - he lets his comedy seep through into the drama to create a touching Manhattan atmosphere. Unfortunately he does tend to talk and talk and fall in love with the sound of his own voice which may irritate.

Thankfully when Allen is on form in this movie, hell it's funny as can be! However, the laughs are not as loud as Annie Hall, nor as often.

Mariel Hemmingway is great as the confused 17 year old that Allen's character Issac goes out with. The subject of a 41 year old man being in a relationship with a younger girl is abit strange although this kind of thing wasn't frowned upon in Victorian times, Woody manages to convey that this bond isn't one of love but of convenience and I personally think Woody Allen is a bit of a pervert but there you go. Allen obviously begins to drift off the Young girl to find more of an intellectual match in Diane Keaton's character. Again, Keaton is fantastic in her role as she was in Annie Hall this time, not the playful, dreamy Annie, now the serious, contemporary Mary.

Story wise this movie should be more focused than Annie Hall. Annie Hall was non-linear, this was linear. Instead I found Annie Hall's energy made it a far more concentrated movie, as Manhattan sometimes meandered. But that's not to say it's a bad story, it isn't. In fact it's a packed with dialogue one, another realistic look at friendships and Woody's opinion on women and love per say. The tunes of George Gerscwhin and the picturesque cityscape of Manhattan is just beautiful at the beginning of the movie.

Woody Allen traps the essence of Manhattan so well, through filming landmarks, iconic imagery and intricate characters. Sometimes he can get carried away with spiraling dialogue although in spite of this Manhattan can be incredibly stimulating in places. Again Woody Allen as a person I tend not to like but his films like Annie Hall & Manhattan show he's done something with getting his ideas and opinions forward in a film to express himself.

Really feels like you're watching and delving into real life with Manhattan, someone else's life and in that regard it becomes intriguing.