CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is Woody Allen's most mature, most profound film. Martin Landau plays Judah Rosenthal, a successful ophthalmologist having an affair with Dolores (Anjelica... more
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Production Year: 1967 - Comedy - Director: Val Guest, John Huston, Ken Hughes, Robert Parrish, Richard Talmadge, Joseph McGrath - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance
Advantages: Great cast, interesting themes Disadvantages: Might be a bit portentious for some
Crimes and Misdemeanors is the last great film of Woody Allen's long but slightly faded career. Inspired by the moral themes of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Allen muses on guilt and how fear of punishment is tied up in one's belief or lack of it. Martin Landau is terrific as Judah. Judah is a rich and respected ophthalmologist haunted by an afair he had with an airline stewardess (Angelica Huston). She threatens to blackmail him when he ends ... ...don't believe then how can crimes be punished? Is there any order in the universe? In scenes reminiscent of Death Of A Salesman, Judah revisits his childhood home and we see his memories - his family debating religion and faith around the dinner table. An Aunt dismisses God as a fantasy. One of Judah's patients, a Priest played by Sam Waterston, is going blind but remains positive and committted to his faith. Allen does not come down on one viewpoint ...
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Actor(s): Martin Landau, Claire Bloom, Anjelica Huston, Woody Allen, Alan Alda, Mia Farrow, Joanna Gleason, Jenny Nichols, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, Caroline Aaron, Jerry Orbach
Director(s): Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy
Classification: 15 years and over
Production Year: 1990
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is Woody Allen's most mature, most profound film. Martin Landau plays Judah Rosenthal, a successful ophthalmologist having an affair with Dolores (Anjelica Huston), who is threatening to reveal their relationship unless Judah commits to her and leaves his wife. He admits his sin to Ben (Sam Waterston), a friend, a patient, and a learned rabbi who is losing his eyesight but not his faith. Judah turns to his brother Jack, who is connected to the mob and can make Dolores disappear. Allen plays Cliff Stern, a documentary filmmaker who accepts an assignment to film his pompous, successful brother-in-law, Lester (Alan Alda), a comedy star; both Cliff and Lester fall for Hallie Reed (Mia Farrow), a producer involved in the documentary. Allen the director brings all the characters together in a fabulous mix of comedy and drama, deceit and delight. CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is a marvel of complexity, with fascinating, well-written characters; deep, complicated relationships; and thought-provoking examinations of religion, infidelity, morality, murder, comedy, and tragedy.
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): MGM ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date: 11/02/2002
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: 19875 DVD
Editor: Susan E. Morse
Barcode: 5050070006728
Production Designer: Santo Loquasto
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Cinematographer: Sven Nykvist
Composer: Woody Allen
Director of Photography: Sven Nykvist
Producer: Woody Allen, Robert Greenhut
Author: Woody Allen
Voice: Woody Allen
Comedian: Woody Allen
Costume Designer: Jeffrey Kurland
DVD Description
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is Woody Allen's most mature, most profound film. Martin Landau plays Judah Rosenthal, a successful ophthalmologist having an affair with Dolores (Anjelica Huston), who is threatening to reveal their relationship unless Judah commits to her and leaves his wife. He admits his sin to Ben (Sam Waterston), a friend, a patient, and a learned rabbi who is losing his eyesight but not his faith. Judah turns to his brother Jack, who is connected to the mob and can make Dolores disappear. Allen plays Cliff Stern, a documentary filmmaker who accepts an assignment to film his pompous, successful brother-in-law, Lester (Alan Alda), a comedy star; both Cliff and Lester fall for Hallie Reed (Mia Farrow), a producer involved in the documentary. Allen the director brings all the characters together in a fabulous mix of comedy and drama, deceit and delight. CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is a marvel of complexity, with fascinating, well-written characters; deep, complicated relationships; and thought-provoking examinations of religion, infidelity, morality, murder, comedy, and tragedy.
Languages
Main Language: English
Dubbed Language: French, Italian, Spanish
Subtitle Language: Danish, English, French, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
Hearing Impaired Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Original Theatrical Trailer, Interactive Menu Screens, Chapter Selections
Aspect Ratio: 1.77 Wide Screen, 16:9 Wide Screen
Sound: Mono
Dubbing Sound: Mono English French Italian Spanish
Professional reviews
Review: "...Allen's most securely serious and funny film to date....The writer and director continues to be his own most vital on-screen force..." (New York Times, p.C19, 13/10/1989)
Included in the New York Times "10 Best Films of 1989" List (New York Times, p.II,11, 24/12/1989)
"...In this risky, riveting film, our most prolific and provocative moviemaker uses his wit to touch a nerve. CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is so funny it hurts..." (Rolling Stone, p.35, 02/11/1989)
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