Manhattan is considered by many critics to be one of Woody Allen’s masterpieces, right up there with Annie Hall (1977) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986).
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Theatrical release poster
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The movie was made right after “Interiors,” which divided critics, with most dismissing it as pretentious and self-conscious, dominated by angst that was too much of an homage to Ingmar Bergman (Allen’s hero).
In Manhattan, dropping his imitations of Bergman and Fellini, Allen refined his distinctive voice and special serio-comic, bitter-sweet tone that defines his best work. In this lyrical love poem to Manhattan, co-written by Allen and Marshall Brickman, Allen returns to the self-confessional format of “Annie Hall,” again playing the Jewish intellectual nebbish bewildered by relationships with attractive shiksas and confounded by his own anxieties and neuroses.
Allen cast himself in the lead role, as Isaac Davis, a TV comedy writer who’s fed up with the dictates and demands of the medium, and contemplates a switch to a more respectable kind of writing, “serious” literature.
In a characteristic manner, we get a portrait of his neurotic, unstable relationships with various women, after being left by his harsh lesbian wife (the young Meryl Streep at her most beautiful, with long blonde hair).
He’s first involved with a teenager (played by Mariel Hemingway), a drama student who’s immediately smitten with him.
But, later on, he switches his attention to Mary (Diane Keaton), which implies betrayal of his best friend.
The excellent ensemble includes Meryl Streep as Allen’s lesbian ex-wife, Michael Murphy, Anne Byrne, Karen Ludwig, and Wallace Shawn.
In this picture, Allen refined the themes that have preoccupied him in his former works: The enduring yet inexplicable appeal of Manhattan (the movie is a valentine to the city), emotional neuroses and sexual hang-ups, which are integral and endemic in urban life, love and betrayal, intellectual fads, pretentious New Yorkers, and so on.
The film’s heroine is Diane Keaton, who would soon give way to a new lover and leading actress, Mia Farrow. But the film is all but stolen by Mariel Hemingway (sister of the model), who, not surprisingly, is both more honest and emotionally mature (ready to commit to an older man) than Allen’s Isaac and the rest of the adult characters.
Comparisons between “Annie Hall,” which also stars Diane Keaton and is set in the Upper East Side, and “Manhattan” were inevitable. Most critics consider “Annie Hall” to be a more likeable and fun (what with its large share of witty and hilarious one-liners), picture. But, technically speaking, Annie Hall is less fully realized a film than “Manhattan,” in which the characters are more sharply and deftly developed.
Elegantly shot in a stylized black-and-white by ace cinematographer Gordon Willis (who somehow failed to be Oscar-nominated), Manhattan benefits immensely from the gorgeous, melodic, and evocative George Gershwin score.
Iconic Bridge Shot
The famous bridge shot was done at 5am in the morning. The production had to bring their own bench as there were no park benches there. The bridge had two sets of necklace lights on a timer controlled by the city. When the sun came up, the bridge lights went off. Willis made arrangements with the city to leave the lights on and that he would let them know when they got the shot. As they started to shoot the scene, one string of bridge lights went out, and Allen was forced to use that take.
Unreasonable Self-Doubts
After finishing the film, Allen was very unhappy with the result and asked United Artists not to release it. He offered to make a film for no fee instead. He later said, “I just thought to myself, ‘At this point in my life, if this is the best I can do, they shouldn’t give me money to make movies.'”
Oscar Nominations: 2
Screenplay: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman
Supporting Actress: Mariel Hemingway
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar was Steve Tesich for “Breaking Away,” a comedy directed by Peter Yates.
Meryl Streep won her first Oscar (in the Supporting league) for “Kramer Vs. Kramer,” which also won Best Picture, Best Director and other awards.
Cast
Woody Allen as Isaac Davis
Diane Keaton as Mary Wilkie
Michael Murphy as Yale Pollack
Mariel Hemingway as Tracy
Meryl Streep as Jill Davis
Anne Byrne as Emily Pollack
Michael O’Donoghue as Dennis
Wallace Shawn as Jeremiah (film debut)
Karen Ludwig as Connie
Charles Levin, Karen Allen, and David Rasche as TV actors
Mark Linn-Baker and Frances Conroy as Shakespearean actors
Credits
UA (Jack Rollins and Charles H. Joffe production)
Directed by Woody Allen
Produced by Charles H. Joffe
Written by Allen, Marshall Brickman
Music by George Gershwin, played by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta and the Buffalo Philharmonic, Michael Tilson Thomas
Cinematography: Gordon Willis
Edited by Susan E. Morse
Distributed by United Artists
Release date: April 18, 1979 (Premiere); April 25 (U.S.)
Budget $9 million
Box office $40.2 million
MPAA: R
