Review of Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) by Andrew H — 22 May 2011

A not very successful Allen film, overshadowed by the salacious & very public break-up of Allen & Mia Farrow over his involvement with Farrow's adopted teenage daughter. Another direct consequence was the recasting of the female lead, originally set to be played by Farrow, with that other Allen muse, Diane Keaton.

In a strange way one might call it a wry case of serendipity since the basic plot of this film was originally included into the script for "Annie Hall", in which Keaton played the now iconic lead.

I think it only did the film a favour as Farrow, undeniably a brilliant actress, does not have the same flair for zany comedy that Keaton brings to this part, making Woody Allen as her husband seem like the 'normal one', not an easy feat to manage.

Another change directly resulting from the Farrowgate affair was the casting of Anjelica Huston in a part that was originally written as a young dà (C)butante writer, but it was - probably wisely - felt that under the circumstances Allen flirting with a teenager on-screen would be considered in bad taste.

The plot is rather ramshackle & at times not all that easy to follow, but it is almost secondary to the reactions of the main actors to the developments around them, and stake-outs & burglaries are only used as tools for dissecting the inter- & extra- marital relationships of the protagonists.