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Woody Allen’s ‘Crimes and Misdemeanours’ at 35

Cast: Woody Allen, Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston, Joanna Gleason, Sam Waterston   Director: Woody Allen   “G...


Cast: Woody Allen, Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston, Joanna Gleason, Sam Waterston

 

Director: Woody Allen

 

“God is a luxury I can’t afford.” Blending the moral dilemma Raskolnikov faced in Dostoyevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment with his signature comic style, Woody Allen essentially crafted one of the best films of the 80s.

 

Crimes and Misdemeanours is no Interiors but it’s still dark. It’s easily Allen’s most philosophical when it comes to the dialogues and certainly one of his best-written screenplays, and easily one of his best-directed films.

 

Crimes and Misdemeanours tells the story of two people, both facing the moral dilemma, that is, infidelity. It has the signature Woody Allen comedy, dialogues, direction, and performances. It’s hilarious at times and is dark the rest of the time. This has an exceptionally written screenplay, bringing forth all of Allen’s strengths as a writer. The direction is on point, with the cinematography by Ingmar Bergman’s cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, being simply excellent and gorgeous to look at.

An ophthalmologist’s mistress threatens to reveal their affair to his wife, while a married documentary filmmaker is infatuated with another woman.

The film explores complex issues of infidelity, religion, morality, love, and death — something which Allen did quite a lot during the 80s and the early 90s — and it handles the issues well, which is to be expected out of Allen, all of this was possible because of the screenplay — which was nominated for an Oscar. The film also showcases Allen’s love for cinema in a way only The Purple Rose of Cairo did before this. Allen is a truly gifted writer, filmmaker, and actor, and this sets that in stone. 

 

Turning 35 on October 13, this classic has brilliant performances all around, along with Allen’s great choice of music, Crimes and Misdemeanours is one of Allen’s best which everyone needs to watch at least once in their lifetime.

By Ravit Mishra

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