Live Life Team
In 1977, Woody Allen swept the Academy Awards with his film “Annie Hall”. Since then, the film has remained one of critics’ and audiences’ most celebrated comedies of all time. Two years later, Allen and co-writer Marshall Brickman re-teamed in “Manhattan”, a film no less eccentric than “Annie Hall”, but for completely different reasons.
In “Annie Hall,” Allen as the director used more eccentricities (animation, split screen, subtitles) as portals to his characters’ psyches. In “Manhattan”, the trick is Allen’s use of black-and-white and wide screen. Thus his characters (and actors) are more naked. The real credit goes to the editor for using long, unbroken takes and the screenplay for being funny enough to keep the film entertaining.
Diane Keaton’s character in “Manhattan” is very different than “Annie Hall”. She’s both more vulnerable and self destructive at the same time. While she doesn’t want to break up her lover’s marriage, she’s as incapable of breaking off the affair as she is of leading Allen’s character on. Ultimately, she’s more realistic, maybe because her character develops for the audience as opposed to Annie’s, which is mostly revealed from Alvy Singer’s subconscious.
While both films have many aesthetic similarities, their differences are far more numerous. “Annie Hall” is unconventional, both in its craft and story, while “Manhattan” has bold craft with a much more accessible story. It’s a terrific experience to see the films back-to-back. And while “Annie Hall” will likely remain one of the best comedies of all time, “Manhattan” is no less clever.
