There's poetry in Manhattan, the poetry of opposites. As Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue plays over lusciously composed black and white images of an idyllic Manhattan, we see picture postcards shots of Broadway, 42nd Street, Central Park, the Skyline and fireworks. Fireworks we almost wish would burst the film into color. It won't. This is a film about opposites, black and white or at least inconsistencies. It's a film about 42 year old Isaac, (Woody Allen)and his small circle of friends. He's a successful television writer, who's been divorced twice. Isaac is having a fling with 17 year old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). Isaac continually reminds her their relationship is temporary. When she talks about being in love with him, he tells her to not get hung up, she's too young, there's too much life for her experience, she has to go to school in London without him in the near future.

Isaac hates his job. Hates writing the junk he is writing just to earn a paycheck and support his comfortable lifestyle. He quits the tv show he's working on, to get serious about the novel he's always wanted to write. He's having a bit of trouble finding his writing voice, just as he's having trouble finding balance in his life. Quitting his job however means he'll have to cutback his lifestyle and even move into an apartment with noisy neighbors and brown water. Isaac's ex-wife (Meryl Streep) is about to publish a sure to be devastatingly personal book about their marriage. The marraige ended when his wife left him for another woman and Isaac tried to run over her girlfriend with his car. They have a son and on visiting days old wounds are re-opened. His best friend Yale, (Michael Murphy) who is happily married, is nevertheless having an affair with Mary (Dianne Keaton). When Isaac first meets Mary, he hates her. She represents the type of Radcliff pseudo- intellectual who can't properly pronounce Van Gogh
that he detests. But opposites do attract. They become friends but Isaac does not make a pass at his best friend's mistress.

Yale decides to stop cheating on his wife, and suggests to Isaac that he should date Mary.

These people operate in a world of shadows and illusions. They are all false fronts. They're self-confidences, their cleverness and wit are all a facade hiding how scared, alone and vulnerable they really are. And this is not a film where suddenly they open up and reveal themselves or transform into better people. These are characters that have become a part of the city, of Manhattan, and a part of each other's lives.

Gordon Willis photography is part of this charade. In one of the later montages, a romantic montage of shots is given an edge, partially by the grayness of the images (not merely black and white) and partially because cliches are used and turned inside out. During the cliched Central Park boat rowboat ride (a homage to the Marx Brothers Horse Feathers perhaps), Isaac reaches into the water and removes his hand which is now covered with sludge. At the Hayes planetarium it's so dark we see Isaac and Mary only in silhouette. A shot in Mary's apartment is lit seemingly by a small table lamp.

Allen's cynicism and skepticism have never been as sharply realized than in this film. There are no slapstick sequences, and no dream sequences in this -- Allen's most assured, mature and personal of films.

There are plenty of laugh out loud lines of dialogue (courtesy of Allen and Marshall Brickman), but they seem natural, and never forced. This is a confident, relaxed Allen. He's not performing for the audience as he did with Annie Hall.

All of the actors are perfectly cast and at their peak. Even small supporting roles, like Wallace Shawn and Michael O'Donoghue are wonderful. Look fast at the t.v. show for David Rasche and Karen Allen (in
a blonde wig). The Gershwin music is sometimes used as exclamation points (much as rock music is used in film). Rhapsody in Blue, Someone to Watch Over Me, and S'Marvelous in particular are worked wonderfully into the film.

Cast and Crew:

Cast Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Murphy, Meryl Streep. Anne Byrne, Wallace Shawn and Michael O'Donoghue.


Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman

Produced Charles H. Joffee; Jack Rollins (11), Robert Greenhut

Directed by Woody Allen

Music by George Gershwin

DVD IMAGE AND SOUND

The anamorphic enhanced transfer of this Panavision black and white film is very good. A little graininess can be spotted in spots but it's mostly in pristine shape. The black levels are deep and the levels are quite good throughout the film. Cinematographer Willis intentionally made use of shadows throughout the movie and the film looks as good if not better than I've ever seen it before.

The audio is a Dolby Digital 2.0 mono and free of hiss and pops. The dialogue is clear and easy to understand and the mixture of Gershwin music, background noise and dialogue is well done. It sounds very good for a mono-mix.

DVD EXTRAS:

You won't find any. Woody Allen isn't a big believer in extras and wants the films to stand or fall on their own merit. Fair enough.

The book included with the DVD does contain some interesting information about the film however.

The original theatrical trailer is included on the disc.

FINAL WORD:

Manhattan is a masterpiece. It's Woody's finest film and shows an uncommonly calm and confident Woody at the peak of his filmmaking strengths. The comedy, serious subtexts and visual look of the film are superb. The DVD presents the film beautifully. Add it to your Library as soon as possible. If your prejudiced
against Woody because of the gossip and tabloid stories about him from mid 80's, you need to get over it and enjoy a few of his films.


---Christopher Jarmick,is the author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder a critically acclaimed, steamy suspense thriller.

--Original portions of this review Copyright© Christopher J. Jarmick 2001. The above work is protected by international copyright law.