Crimes and Misdemeanours

Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors snuck up on me. The first half of the film was slow moving and mundane, leaving me to concentrate more thoroughly upon the divergent dimensions of different varieties of dragonflies than its developing motifs. But as the videotape ran on, I discovered another multi-layered take on life, morality, and existence, with relevant themes breaking through a tragically-comedic allegory. Hence, we are not surprised when we discover characters marrying and divorcing in the film's final moments, nor do we startle when the pretentious wealthy "glad handing dandy"(Twin Peaks Pilot) steals the woman of Allen's dreams. Allen's nemesis is played by Alan Alda and their polarity metaphorically examines the old artistic-merit versus kitschy-sensationalism dialectic, hilariously, especially since Allen is filming Alda's biography. Allen's attempts to expose Alda's shallow character are juxtaposed against Martin Landau's moral battle throughout, a moral battle waged with his conscience after severing ties to his mistress once and for all. Landau (Judah Rosenthal) can't decide whether or not to go public with his guilty conscience (thereby ruining several lives) or to simply get over it. All in all, Crimes and Misdemeanors is worth viewing just to hear some of the jokes, such as, "hey kid, don't listen to what your teachers are saying, just look at them and see what they're going through." Etcetera.