leeper@mtgzx.att.com (Mark R. Leeper) (10/18/89)
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1989 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: Two stories somewhat intertwined to
make a single story of morel decisions and their consequences
show up most of the popular dramatic media as being pallid
morality plays. These are clearly not morality plays. They
are realistic and at least one is very worth seeing.
There are not many filmmakers who can make a film about moral
philosophy and get away with it--at least not a film with deeper thoughts
than that unjust acts are punishable by having Sly Stallone blow you up with
a hand grenade. Woody Allen is one director who can make a film about
ethical dilemmas. And he has the courage to treat them in a manner that is
realistic and non-Hollywoodish enough that some may feel that the story does
not work or is somehow incomplete. CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS does not just
reject the popular ending, it is an indictment of the popular dramatic media
and the people who create it.
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is really two stories only tangentially related
as far as the plot is concerned, though each in some way throws light on the
other. One of the stories starts superficially as if it was inspired by
FATAL ATTRACTION. Successful opthalmologist Judah Rosenthal (played by
Martin Landau in his best role ever) has been having a two-year affair with
a neurotic stewardess (played by Anjelica Huston). She now threatens to
ruin his career, frame him for embezzlement, and destroy his marriage if he
does not marry her. His brother (played by Jerry Orbach) offers to arrange
to have the mistress murdered. Judah has very strong moral principles, but
he also has a lot he can lose if the mistress is not stopped.
The other story involves Cliff Stern (played by Woody Allen), an
unsuccessful documentary filmmaker whose dream and long-term goal is to make
a film about a philosophy professor with a very deep life-affirming
philosophy. Instead he is commissioned to make a film about a very
successful television comedy producer who happens to be Stern's brother-in-
law. The producer (played by a perfectly cast Alan Alda) is glib and
polished, makes pseudo-profound pronouncements on the nature of comedy, and
in general personifies just about everything that Stern despises. The
situation is exacerbated by a love triangle with a television documentary
maker (played by Mia Farrow, who steadfastly refuses to let talent rub off
on her no matter how many times Allen casts her). The irony is that Stern's
hero, Dr. Levy, seems to have ideas no more profound than those of the
television producers Stern hates, even if Levy does express them more
eloquently.
Of the two stories by far the more meat is in the story of the
opthalmologist with the moral dilemma. In that we see the ethical
philosophy illustrated. The story of the filmmaker is more comedy and is
sure to be more of an audience pleaser, but it is also far less ambitious.
It is the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.
There seem to be four ways to get a major role in a Woody Allen film.
You can be an established actor such as Claire Bloom. You can be an under-
rated actor such as Landau, whose career took a nosedive with "Space: 1999"
and who until last year's TUCKER had been getting thankless roles not nearly
commensurate with his talent. You can get a role if Allen wants to make a
point about you as an actor, which he seems to have done with Alan Alda.
Actually it is surprising that Alda accepted a role that is so much of a
put-down on Alda himself. The fourth way to get into an Allen film is the
way Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow did and neither has really been an asset.
This is probably one of Allen's better "serious" films and I give it a
+2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
att!mtgzx!leeper
leeper@mtgzx.att.comrossner@cbnewsi.ATT.COM (Marc D. Rossner) (10/18/89)
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
A film review by Marc Rossner
Copyright 1989 Marc Rossner
I have seen the movie of the year and it is Woody Allen's CRIMES AND
MISDEMEANORS (previously it was HEATHERS followed by DO THE RIGHT THING, to
give an idea of where I'm coming from).
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is quite unlike any Woody Allen movie that has
preceded it -- it combines highly dramatic, philosophical, and religious issues
while retaining some of the sarcastic humor that we would expect. The plot
structure would suggest that the movie be retitled "Brothers and Sisters".
Although there is no "star" in this ensemble piece, the main plot elements and
issues revolve around opthamologist Judah Rosenthal, played by Martin Landau.
Judah's brother is Jack, a slimy underworld figure (Jerry Orbach), and his good
friend is Ben, a patient and a rabbi (Sam Waterston). Ben has a brother named
Lester (Alan Alda), an unctuous TV sitcom mogul, and a sister who is married to
Clifford Stern, the Woody Allen character. Cliff has his own sister who is
divorced with a teenage daughter that Cliff takes under his wing. Not part of
these families but involved romantically with them are Dolores (Anjelica
Huston) and Hallie (Mia Farrow, of course in there somewhere). This all sounds
very complicated but it is in fact quite easy to follow all these
relationships.
The plot, not to give any spoilers, revolves around the enormous ethical
and religious dilemmas suffered by Judah (Landau). These "crimes" are mirrored
by smaller crises in the life and work of Cliff (Woody), and also in the old
movies to which he is addicted.
I found no flaw in the performances. Alan Alda inherits what might be
considered the "Tony Roberts role" but he convinced me that his was better
suited for it than Roberts would be -- modifying his sleaziness and pomposity
with just the right amount of generosity to prevent him from being totally
detestable. Martin Landau is low-key but extremely effective in getting the
audience's empathy (my only complaint is that it seemed unrealistic that the
character he portrayed would make some of the choices he did). Sam Waterston
does a fine job in making a "saintly" character sympathetic to the audience.
Woody is Woody (although looking much older now), and the other actors are all
excellent in smaller roles.
Here then is a Woody Allen movie which brings the audience into the lives
of the characters and provokes much thought without being painfully
Bergman-esque. +4 -- worth seeing again at premium prices.
Marc D. Rossner (att!speedy!marc or marc@speedy.att.com)
AT&T BL -- Red Hill