BEFORE: I'm skipping "Zelig", because I have seen that one before. I caught a bit of it a few weeks ago on cable, and that was a reminder that I've forgotten a lot about it, so a re-watch at some point is in order. Perhaps this December I can re-watch the Woody Allen movies I've seen before.
The thing I meant to talk about yesterday, but I forgot to get around to, is the concept of "failing upwards". Having the benefit of working for the same filmmaker for 20 years, I've been able to watch him enjoy greater success and recognition, despite some missteps. I'm sort of getting that from the Woody Allen chain - not every film is going to be perfect, but if you can learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them, and maintain a steady output of (mostly) successes, you can gain a certain measure of respect, even if it's self-imposed.
Think about Michael Jackson, was every song perfect? Impossible. Did he have failed projects, misunderstood lyrics, even hard-to-decipher videos? Of course. But he stuck around so long that when he started calling himself "The King of Pop", most everyone fell in line and agreed that he deserved the title. Same with Howard Stern, who (perhaps jokingly) declared himself "The King of All Media" - in that case you either get the joke or concede to his influence. Bill Plympton now is called "The King of Independent Animation", and who's to say the title isn't deserved? He's been making his own cartoons his way for over 25 years.
I don't think Woody ever declared himself the King of anything, but I think I'm watching the part of his career where he really started to grow into his own style - so essentially he made his own genre, and became the King of Making Woody Allen Movies.
THE PLOT: In his attempts to reconcile a lounge singer with his mistress, a hapless talent agent is mistaken as her lover by a jealous gangster.
AFTER: 13 films into my Woody Allen chain, and I think this is the most successful narrative so far. Also known as the strongest story, without excessive jumping around in time (there's just one small instance of that...) Non-linear storytelling is often used to cover up a weak story (just put the parts in order and often you'll see where the slow parts are), but another, more elegant (and less offensive) way is to use a framing device.
In this film, we see a bunch of older comedians eating at a NY delicatessen - they're telling jokes, swapping stories, and one relates the story of Danny Rose, which forms the main narrative of the film. This is even better than telling a story in flashback, because people telling stories to each other often skip over the slow bits, and get right to the funny parts, and even exaggerate the details for a larger comic effect. This gives Allen the freedom to focus on the best parts of the story, and if anything needs further explanation, he's got the option to have the comedians fill in the details.
I love NY diner culture, and delicatessen food as well. I think today I'll have to get a big deli sandwich for lunch - corned beef, pastrami & chopped liver on rye, along with potato salad and a matzoh ball soup. I'm still waiting for Sarge's Deli on 3rd Ave. to re-open after a fire last year, so I have to order from Mendy's, which means no cheese on the sandwich. Still good though. I'll eat it in Danny Rose's honor.
There are still a few contrivances, like the mistaken identity, which should have been rather easy to correct, but nobody seemed to have the time. The use of an old Italian woman as a psychic was another one. The chase scene didn't go on too long, and the way that they got the female lead to realize she had feelings for Danny was nice and subtle.
Also starring Mia Farrow (also carrying over from "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy"), Nick Apollo Forte, Edwin Bordo, with cameos from Milton Berle, Michael Badalucco, Joe Franklin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. (last seen in "Robin and the 7 Hoods")
RATING: 6 out of 10 balloon animals
UPDATE: I just got an e-mail, Sarge's Deli has RE-OPENED! I knew something had set off my deli sandwich Spider-sense. Now I wish I hadn't ordered from Mendy's... Still, this is the best news I've heard all week.
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