Manhattan (1979)

written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman

directed by Woody Allen

I promised I’d watch Manhattan in my review of Annie Hall (1977), and I finally got around to it. Woody Allen plays Isaac, a middle-aged television writer who’s dating Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), a teenager, but falls for Mary (Diane Keaton), the snobby mistress of his best friend. Isaac complains about his life, breaks up with Tracy, complains about his lesbian ex-wife (Meryl Streep), hooks up with Mary, complains some more, gets dumped by Mary, and tries to get back with Tracy. Dude, get a life, why don’t you.

Maybe it’s the neurotic persona or the whiny delivery, but let’s face it: Woody’s shtick is always the same. Still, Manhattan is intermittently funny, and there are many things that stay with you: The beautiful black-and-white cinematography by Gordon Willis; the opening montage to George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue; an affecting performance by Hemingway as the passing fling of a selfish pseudo-intellectual who realizes, too late, he’s actually in love with her. Is Manhattan Woody’s finest hour? I don’t know. If only it didn’t have him as its leading man.

Rating: **½