Manhattan [M]

“Chapter one: he adored New York. For him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture.” Intellectual romantic and comedy writer Isaac Davis lives amidst the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and although he adores the city he lives in, he does not adore the complications that modern Manhattan society brings with it. Twice divorced and currently dating a 17-year-old, Isaac’s already questionable and tragic love life takes a further battering when he learns that his ex-wife-turned-lesbian is writing a tell-all book about their marriage and breakup. Already in a dark place, Isaac is hurt further by the taunts of his best friend’s mistress upon their first meeting, but then complication arises again as he finds himself strongly attracted to her. 

Woody Allen’s first movie done in black and white, Manhattan is a fantastic and juicy romantic comedy, or romantic tragedy, depending on which way you look at it. Allen’s razor sharp wit rushes in all-guns-blazing and bowls over all the actors in its path before taking centre stage, where it sits firmly for the entire duration. Seriously, diva of the screen, Meryl Streep, is in this film and she may was well be just part of the ensemble or even the extras when standing in the shadow of this movie’s script and screenplay. 

“Chapter one: he adored New York. For him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture.” Intellectual romantic and comedy writer Isaac Davis lives amidst the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and although he adores the city he lives in, he does not adore the complications that modern Manhattan society brings with it. Twice divorced and currently dating a 17-year-old, Isaac’s already questionable and tragic love life takes a further battering when he learns that his ex-wife-turned-lesbian is writing a tell-all book about their marriage and breakup. Already in a dark place, Isaac is hurt further by the taunts of his best friend’s mistress upon their first meeting, but then complication arises again as he finds himself strongly attracted to her. 

Woody Allen’s movies are all about the cleverness and the power of words. The writing is always the star and refuses to be rebuffed in any manner, impertinent or no. What I love particularly about this movie is that it not only takes a few perfectly aimed jabs at modern romances and relationships, it takes a fatal jab to the structure of such stories. Faced with an already different and complicated bunch of relationships including lesbianism, age division, external marriage trysts, and then rifts and complications within friendships, the audience is led down a road less travelled and, for a time it seems that we can see where we’re going, but then Allen grabs us from behind and violently steers us onto a dirt road that leads somewhere completely different. The structure of the conventional romantic comedy is torn to shreds in this movie and we’re left with something that is more modern and more reflective of the confusing times that we live in. Funnily enough, this movie might hold more relevance today that it did 30 years ago. 

Although the idealistic “romance” story is completely pulverised in this movie, Manhattan still manages to draw some sighs and swoons from its audiences and depict a conventional romanticism. The film begins with a montage of scenic shots of the city and the soundtrack is a beautiful collage of Gershwin classics… hugely romantic. Beginning with Rhapsody and Blue, the soundtrack brings that sweet and classic romantic edge to a somewhat unconventionally romantic edgy movie and I love the combination of the scenic shots and music and the complicated and edgy screenplay. It’s a match made in heaven if that’s not too ironic to say. 

Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Murphy, and Anny Byrne Hoffman, Manhattan is a very clever and brilliant written movie that’s filled with complications, drama, romance, relationships, and comedy. It’s biting and fresh and I think will remain that way for many years, as the world changes and contemporary culture becomes something new and weird, this movie will still hold relevance and appeal.