Review of Zelig (1983) by Alysia V — 10 Sep 2010

Unlike any other movie you are going to see Woody Allen inbeds the story of Leonard Zelig into stock footage from the roaring 30's through the Pre-War Years. Although Zelig is played by Allen, Zelig is a construct independent of Allen own life and in the end the act of playing a character distinct from himself give you more insight into Woody Allen.

Allen uses the vehicle of Zelig a man who compulsively emulates the traits of anyone he is around to investigate the human behavior. The movie eventually settles down when he becomes the patient of Eudora Fletcher played exquisitely by Mia Farrow.

The use of the cultural lens of the limitation of the 1930's type news reel hightens the sense of trying to read the subtext of Eudora trying to make a name for her in the Male dominated world of psychology.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is how Allen uses interviews of the fictional characters in the 30's and then them in the present or at least 1983. Through the movie Allen paces the movie well interposing belly laughing physical humor against the more complex exposition of Zelig life.

I've watch this in excess of 30 times and highly reccomend it.