There's no questioning the polarity that seems to be caused by Woody Allen. There are a large number of people that think he is way too self-involved and pretentious with his artsy-fartsy schmaltz and the false intellectualism he hangs over his movies to make them inaccessible to common folk. I am not one of these people as we've already established. I don't necessarily think those people totally wrong, but I disagree. So, if you're still with me and are ready for a last trip into Woody-land then buckle your seat belts for a few of Woody's films that are either, at times, a little bit more under the radar, or only for those of us who buy into the whole nonsense that makes a Woody Allen film a Woody Allen film. These are a few of my favorites which scratch a little bit deeper under the surface.
What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1967)- This was Woody's first film of sorts and it is possibly his least initially palatable (which is saying something). This movie is actually a Japanese spy movie called The Key of Keys that the studio purchased for $66,000. They then hired Allen to rewrite the script and overdub the vocal tracks and it turned into a hilarious send-up of spy movies with its over-the-top plot about a stolen egg salad recipe. It's a lot of fun.
Rating: B
Play It Again, Sam (1972)- This is a fan-favorite for many reasons. One is the ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining appearances by Humphrey Bogart's ghost giving Sam advice about everything including how to schmooze on the 100% lovable Diane Keaton. Keaton hauls in one of her best performances and the script, about a film critic who has his heart broken, is one of Allen's most enjoyable. Allen has been known for bending the lines and breaking the 4th Wall and any other film rule, and this film is a great example of him creating his own genre.
Rating: A-
Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex* But Were Afraid To Ask (1972)- 1972 was a successful year for Allen as he put out Play It Again, Sam and this ridiculous piece. This is actually 7 different short films that all are hypothetically based off of the book by Dave Reuben. The best pieces are the one where Gene Wilder falls in love with a sheep and an inside look at what happens during the seduction process. This is definitely not for everyone, but for those looking for a high-caliber, low-brow romp, this is for you!
Rating: B
Manhattan (1979)- There are quite a few people who think that this is Allen's greatest film, and on a lot of levels they are right. The incredible blend of George Gershwin's subtle swing, the camera work of Gordon Willis, and Allen's air-tight script about everyone's desire to love and be loved no matter the consequences makes for one of the most enchanting stories ever filmed. The characters are pitch-perfect especially an Oscar-nod-worthy one by Mariel Hemingway as Allen's 17-year-old girlfriend. A paternal match to Miranda July's Me and You and Everyone You Know.
Rating: A
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)- Never before has a film about infidelity and guilt and murder been so enjoyable. Martin Landau plays an eye-doctor who is cheating on his wife with a younger Anjelica Huston who flips out and decides she is going to be together or she'll tell the missus! Insanity and conscience-questioning ensue as the story also follows a young documentarian and the woman of his dreams who is also being courted by a Hollywood Suit who is just begging to get socked in the kisser (Alan Alda). Probably the last Allen film of its type to marry humor and guilt so symbiotically.
Rating: A
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I hope you have enjoyed our little foray into all thing Woody Allen and know that there are even some gems that I didn't mention, and with a few films that just came out or are in post-production, it doesn't look like he's going to be slowing down anytime soon.
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