Crimes and Misdemeanors
Generally, film audiences often regard Woody Allen as a comedy director. True, Allen’s roots are in comedy writing and performing and some of his biggest film successes easily fall into the categories of romantic comedy and farce. What is distinct about these works is his use of comedy to veil the more weighty issues of morals, death, humanity and religion, commonly associated with the melodrama, suspense and tragedy genres. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) is such a film. Oscillating between romantic comedy and suspense drama, the film simultaneously exhibits and reshapes the conventions of these two genres in its exploration of ideals, morality, and God. The story is told through crosscutting between two parallel storylines, each centering on two very different characters, Cliff Stern (Allen) and Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau). Cliff is a documentary filmmaker of only moderate success whose works involve humanitarian topics such as starvation and leukemia. With his marriage failing and desperate to finance his newest project about a contemporary intellect, Louis Levy, he reluctantly takes a job offered by his highly successful but pompous brother-in- law, Lester. As Cliff begins shooting the film about Lester, he falls for the show’s beautiful producer, Hally Reed. His feelings for her grow and soon Cliff finds himself in competition with the womanizing Lester who starts making his own advances towards Hally. Much of this is played out for laughs and, at times, sweetly romantic. Cliff and Hally steal away for afternoon matinees and they dine on takeout while watching a reel of Singing in the Rain in his editing room. Watching an underdog like Cliff humorously vying for the affections of this smart, charismatic woman, one cannot help but be reminded of classic Hollywood romantic comedies.