I am a great fan of the Woodmeister, even during his troubled times with Mia Farrow & the various court cases that junctioned this particular film.
However, I also found some of his late 80s early 90s films a trifle vague, indulgent, Bergmanesque,(especially films like September, Alice and Husbands & Wives). Although these films were quite favourable with highbrow critics I think a lot of his true fans found them to be rather detached & remote from the Allen we all know and love.
The great thing about Allen is his unique writing style. It would be too easy just to pigeonhole him as some kind of wise cracking stand-up comic; a lot of his humour is very subtle with a generous helping of heavy irony mixed in with regards life's many mysteries & contradictions. I think that's why he finds it easy to hide behind his neurotic outer skin: much easier to cast satirical barbs from within.
Manhattan Murder Mystery (MMM), is a return to form for the Meister in spite of all his personal problems being aired over the TV networks at around this time. I think it was just as well he chose Keaton rather than Farrow for the part of his wife, not just because of the off-screen problems but the chemistry for a comedy is perfect with Keaton & Allen together.
Okay so its not much of a mystery (not many murders either). We're not talking Agatha Christie indepth style of detective analysis either. Instead WA plays it straight down the line: some mild slapstick, witty one-liners, keen social observations, the usual paranoias/neurosis and of course some intellectual jousting with fellow chattering-class types.
Anjelica Huston works surprisingly well here too. Not generally renowned for this kind of staged comedy, she does a pretty goody job as Alan Alda's potential girlfriend, come amateur detective.
There's also plenty of adlibbing going on as you might expect from an Allen script. He writes so freely there's plenty of room for self expression from all of the actors without deflecting too much away from the mood & pace of the story.
The ending is a little goofy & tiresome, and somehow doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the film, which is a great shame. But either way MMM is a good entertaining film if you feel like sitting back in a comfy chair without the need to think too hard.
It's a welcome return to the old-style Allen of yesteryear. Not quite in the same league as Annie Hall or Manhattan, but neither does it quite fall in the same bracket as the slapstick extreme of say Sleeper or Bananas to the more darker & impersonal September or H&W at the other.
If you like the Old Allen then you're going to love this.
***/*****
However, I also found some of his late 80s early 90s films a trifle vague, indulgent, Bergmanesque,(especially films like September, Alice and Husbands & Wives). Although these films were quite favourable with highbrow critics I think a lot of his true fans found them to be rather detached & remote from the Allen we all know and love.
The great thing about Allen is his unique writing style. It would be too easy just to pigeonhole him as some kind of wise cracking stand-up comic; a lot of his humour is very subtle with a generous helping of heavy irony mixed in with regards life's many mysteries & contradictions. I think that's why he finds it easy to hide behind his neurotic outer skin: much easier to cast satirical barbs from within.
Manhattan Murder Mystery (MMM), is a return to form for the Meister in spite of all his personal problems being aired over the TV networks at around this time. I think it was just as well he chose Keaton rather than Farrow for the part of his wife, not just because of the off-screen problems but the chemistry for a comedy is perfect with Keaton & Allen together.
Okay so its not much of a mystery (not many murders either). We're not talking Agatha Christie indepth style of detective analysis either. Instead WA plays it straight down the line: some mild slapstick, witty one-liners, keen social observations, the usual paranoias/neurosis and of course some intellectual jousting with fellow chattering-class types.
Anjelica Huston works surprisingly well here too. Not generally renowned for this kind of staged comedy, she does a pretty goody job as Alan Alda's potential girlfriend, come amateur detective.
There's also plenty of adlibbing going on as you might expect from an Allen script. He writes so freely there's plenty of room for self expression from all of the actors without deflecting too much away from the mood & pace of the story.
The ending is a little goofy & tiresome, and somehow doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the film, which is a great shame. But either way MMM is a good entertaining film if you feel like sitting back in a comfy chair without the need to think too hard.
It's a welcome return to the old-style Allen of yesteryear. Not quite in the same league as Annie Hall or Manhattan, but neither does it quite fall in the same bracket as the slapstick extreme of say Sleeper or Bananas to the more darker & impersonal September or H&W at the other.
If you like the Old Allen then you're going to love this.
***/*****