Movie Review: Manhattan (1979)

By Spartacus 

 

Manhattan is Woody Allen’s towering shot to center field… only to be caught on the warning track. Allen nearly hits a homerun–like 1977’s Annie Hall–but ends with a disappointing out.

Like most of Allen’s movies, Manhattan deals with complicated romantic relationships peppered with infidelities and neuroses. But this time the plot includes statutory rape, as Allen’s 42-year-old protagonist romances Mariel Hemingway’s precocious 17-year-old.

The packaging is beautiful: the movie is well-crafted with gorgeous cinematography, tight dialogue, and excellent acting. Hemingway’s performance is particularly outstanding; indeed, she garnered a deserved Academy Award nomination. But ultimately the plot–although taut and well-told–fails to deliver. While Allen’s character wrestles with the age and interest differences involving his teenage girlfriend, he never considers the morality of sleeping with a minor. Nor do any of the other characters. Instead, everyone concludes the romance is the protagonist’s healthiest relationship–creating an altogether unsatisfying ending. Given Allen’s real-life dalliance with his adopted teenage daughter, however, perhaps this ending is unsurprising.

If you can overlook some perversion, Manhattan is an otherwise entertaining, albeit morally bankrupt affair.

Movie Rating:

Cast:
• Woody Allen
• Diane Keaton
• Michael Murphy
• Mariel Hemingway
• Meryl Streep

Director:
• Woody Allen

Writers:
• Woody Allen
• Marshall Brickman

Academy Awards:
• Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Mariel Hemingway)
• Nominated for Best Writing/Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman)