Woody Allen has always been able to take serious situations and weave comedy into it. Situations like, being a bank robber (Take the Money and Run - 1969), being part of a Latin American rebellion (Bananas (1971), or dealing with an oppressive government of the future (Sleeper - 1973). Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), is no different, however the serious, elephant-in-the-room, revolves around a murder, committed by a well-liked, well-established, member of the community. From here the plot of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), splits into two sub-stories, with one revolving around Martin Landau's ophthalmologist, Judah Rosenthal, grappling with what he has done. The other story, is about infidelity, however, infidelity is all over Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). Martin Landau does a brilliant job as the troubled ophthalmologist.
It is infidelity, that leads to Rosenthal's poor choices, as does the other part of the story, with married documentary filmmaker, Cliff Stern (Woody), falling in love with another woman, Halley Reed (Mia Farrow), because his marriage, has gone stale. What makes matters worse, is Halley isn't really reciprocating those feelings back to Cliff and might be, more interested in another man. Six years after he left MASH (1972-1983), Alan Alda was cast, in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), as Lester, the barrier in Cliff's way. Alda's character is a cross between Alda himself and his Hawkeye Pierce persona from MASH. His character Lester, is a womanizing, partier, but also a successful, television sitcom actor, turned producer, who is well-respected in the TV community. It is the fact, that Cliff has to work for Lester, shooting a documentary for him, that gives this part of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), its energy and laughs.
PMTM Grade: 8.1 (B) = 8 IMDB.
It is infidelity, that leads to Rosenthal's poor choices, as does the other part of the story, with married documentary filmmaker, Cliff Stern (Woody), falling in love with another woman, Halley Reed (Mia Farrow), because his marriage, has gone stale. What makes matters worse, is Halley isn't really reciprocating those feelings back to Cliff and might be, more interested in another man. Six years after he left MASH (1972-1983), Alan Alda was cast, in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), as Lester, the barrier in Cliff's way. Alda's character is a cross between Alda himself and his Hawkeye Pierce persona from MASH. His character Lester, is a womanizing, partier, but also a successful, television sitcom actor, turned producer, who is well-respected in the TV community. It is the fact, that Cliff has to work for Lester, shooting a documentary for him, that gives this part of Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), its energy and laughs.
PMTM Grade: 8.1 (B) = 8 IMDB.