Manhattan

Manhattan (1979). Dir. Woody Allen

Isaac (Woody Allen): “I got a kid, he’s being raised by two women at the moment”.

Mary (Diane Keaton): “Oh, y’know, I mean I think that works. Uh, they made some studies, I read in one of the psychoanalytic quarterlies. You don’t need a male, I mean. Two mothers are absolutely fine”.

Isaac: “Really? Because I always feel very few people survive one mother”.

Manhattan obtuvo 2 nominaciones al Oscar (Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Mariel Hemingway, y Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman). Ganó 2 BAFTA Awards (Best Film y Best Screenplay) y el César a la mejor película extranjera (Meilleur film étranger).

Toda la película se rodó en blanco y negro. La cinematografía es de Gordon Willis (“The Prince of Darkness”), el cinematógrafo de The Godfather, The Godfather. Part II y The Godfather. Part III, quien ya había trabajado con Woody Allen en Annie Hall (1978) y en una de las obras maestras de Woody Allen: Interiors (1979). Gordon Willis dijo que, de todas las películas que había rodado, Manhattan era su preferida.

Woody Allen quedó tan descontento con Manhattan que ofreció a los productores hacer otra película gratis si estos no estrenaban Manhattan. Por suerte los productores no le hicieron caso y hoy podemos seguir disfrutando de esta joya. Irónicamente, Manhattan ha sido la película más taquillera de Woody Allen.

Lo mejor: el principio (con música de Gershwin y Woody Allen cambiando el principio una y otra vez), Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, la lista de Isaac y el genial guión de Woody Allen.

Lo peor: el desagradable personaje que interpreta Diane Keaton.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 26 de mayo de 2016

Isaac (Woody Allen): “I got a kid, he’s being raised by two women at the moment”.

Mary (Diane Keaton): “Oh, y’know, I mean I think that works. Uh, they made some studies, I read in one of the psychoanalytic quarterlies. You don’t need a male, I mean. Two mothers are absolutely fine”.

Isaac: “Really? Because I always feel very few people survive one mother”.

Manhattan got 2 Oscar nominations (Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Mariel Hemingway, and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman). It won 2 BAFTA Awards (Best Film and Best Screenplay) and the César Award for Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger).

The whole movie was shot in black and white. The cinematography is by Gordon Willis (“The Prince of Darkness”), cinematographer of The Godfather, The Godfather. Part II and The Godfather. Part III, who already had work with Woody Allen in Annie Hall (1978) and in one of Woody Allen’s masterpieces: Interiors (1979). Gordon Willis once said that Manhattan was his favorite of all the movies he had shot.

Woody Allen was so unhappy with Manhattan that he offered the producers to make another movie for free if they didn’t release Manhattan. Fortunately the producers didn’t listen to Woody Allen and today we can still enjoy this gem. Ironically, Manhattan has been Woody Allen’s most successful film.

The best: the opening (with music by Gershwin, and Woody Allen changing the opening over and over), Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Isaac’s list and the script.

The worst: the annoying character played by Dianne Keaton.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, May 26, 2016