Woody Allen Retrospective: Manhattan Murder Mystery
Woody Allen is one of those filmmakers known for having a large body of work, yet is largely only appreciated for a certain segment of it. With Woody, interestingly, there is not one universal segment of his films that people appreciate. Few will deny the masterpieces most often attributed to him, Annie Hall or Manhattan, for instance, but there are many camps of Woody Allen appreciation. One such camp proclaims Woody's earlier films were best. Another section of Woody Allen fandom declares his comedies are best, while yet another camp asserts that his serious films are superior. In a way, this speaks to Woody's prowess as a filmmaker, that he can impact so many audiences with such different portions of his filmography. What I'm here to advise against, however, is being overly dismissive of Woody's "lower tier" work. I can say without a doubt, as I've traveled halfway through Woody Allen's filmography, that I have been most floored by films that I have rarely heard others mention. Maybe that's simply human psychology at work and I was more impressed with them simply because they have largely flown under the radar, therefore, expected little from them. My theory, however, persists that Woody Allen is a filmmaker that doesn't get adequate credit for his body of work as a whole. Maybe Woody's problem of having about a dozen widely recognized classics to his name that many of his equally impressive work is overlooked is one I should be less sympathetic towards; I just can't help myself from donning the armor of Woody Allen defense at least one more time. Manhattan Murder Mystery, the 1993 installment of Woody's film-a-year output is simply sensational. There is as much artistically going on here as in Crimes and Misdemeanors, and dialogue as sharp as that in Hannah and Her Sisters. Starring, in my opinion, Woody's best screen partner Diane Keaton, as well as another pair of repeat co-stars, Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a zesty look at the lives of a middle aged couple who suddenly become convinced that a neighbor in their New York City apartment building has murdered his wife. Not only is Manhattan Murder Mystery hilarious, but it's also a piercingly deep look at the lives of a married couple after their only child has outgrown the nest and they are left with the years-worn versions of each other to re-adapt to. Manhattan Murder Mystery is so much more than a "silly plot" in a "throw away" Woody Allen film, but rather, another brilliant attempt at decoding the human condition we are all born into by one of America's best filmmakers.
Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) are a middle-aged couple in New York, tasked with the ever familiar plight of learning each other once again after becoming empty-nesters. Their lives together are seemingly happy; they attend operas, basketball games, and have in-depth conversations. Despite the appearance of happiness, there is an air of listlessness in their relationship. One evening, after returning home to their New York apartment from the night's events, Larry and Carol meet a couple that lives a few doors down from them, Paul House (Jerry Adler) and Lillian House (Lynn Cohen), and are invited in for a drink. Larry is more than happy to maintain a distance, but Carol is looking for a way to spice up her humdrum daily life and jumps at the chance to meet new people. Larry can't wait to leave despite Carol enjoying the visit and when the couple finally retires to their apartment they agree that their neighbors seem nice and may see them again, that is, until Lillian drops dead of a coronary the very next day. Fresh from a screening of Double Indemnity, Carol begins to suspect that her neighbor Paul actually murdered his wife. Larry thinks Carol's suspicion is off-base, leaving her to investigate her concerns with their recently divorced friend Ted (Alan Alda). The adventurous duo leaves Larry willfully behind as he believes his neighbor's innocence and simultaneously thinks such investigative matters should be left to the police. As Ted and Carol spend more time together, Larry begins to think that Ted's willingness to go along with Carol's escapades is due to a physical attraction he has for her, leaving Larry to decide if he should bring himself into the probe in order to save his marriage. As the impromptu case furthers, more evidence is acquired bringing even the most skeptical Larry to nebbishy go along with his wife's pursuit.
I'm convinced Woody Allen doesn't get enough credit for how truly diverse his film career is. The notion that all of his films are the same is one that I simply find no merit to. Sure, Woody's work is revelatory and personal so there may often be a "Woody Allen character" in his films, but I will never fault an artist for putting too much of themselves into their art. As evidenced by the title, this film is essentially a murder mystery plot-driven film with ample introspection and plenty of tackling of life's biggest questions. I truly appreciate how varied Woody's career has been and his ardent pursuit to expand his art to fill almost every niche in the medium. From a film I had often heard referred to as a silly blip in Woody's filmography, I was delightfully surprised to find one of my favorite Woody Allen works. I want to believe this is Alvy Singer and Annie Hall, 15 years after we first met them and that they have enjoyed a happy and full marital existence. I don't simply choose to believe that because the main principal actors are the same, but rather because the script is excellent with dialogue that so purely captures the essence of a long-term marriage. Life isn't all sunshine and roses for the couple, they often quibble and disagree but one can see that the base of their relationship is love. There truly isn't anything I love to see on film more than a realistic relationship, and that is exactly what one can expect in Manhattan Murder Mystery. Hopefully, you don't find yourself staking out a suspected murderer on date night often, but I do hope you have a relationship with ample love and acceptance and just enough rationale like the one Larry and Carol share. Who would have thought Woody Allen, the director who explores infidelity so often in his films, would give me such a loving authentic screen couple I can aspire towards.
