I must admit I'm really looking forward to watching this one. Haven't seen it in a long time and it's one that seems to improve with each viewing for me. Absolutely, positively the first Woody Allen film that I saw when it was "new" to theatres, as opposed to being an older film that I was "catching up" on. Also the start of a tradition for me of seeing his new films on opening day in whatever city I was living in - a tradition that held for 20+ films before being broken, but something I still do frequently (though not always). There was one film that looked so bad to me, I intentionally avoided it, and it only lasted a week in the first-run theatres here, and then a week in the cheap theatres. And my instincts about that one were right on the money, but more about that awful film when we get to it. Perhaps I can catch "Danny" tomorrow or Thursday.
Broadway Danny Rose to me is the best Woody Allen movie and one of my favorite movies of all time. The portrayal of a showbiz guy trying to make his way in the world but always coming up short is the perfect setup for Woody's comedy. And then add to that it's a mob comedy and it's even better. Also a perfect ending. A happy ending... genuinely feel-good happy ending. This to me is also his best use of New York City and it's surrounding areas as a character itself. Star Smile Strong. Acceptance Forgiveness Love. It has to be Mia Farrow's best movie too. And the music! Nick Apollo Forte is a classic! The funniest thing about him is that appears to be who he actually is! He's not 'acting' as much as he's just being himself. And "Agita" and "My Bambina" are truly memorable tunes that are perfectly rendered as live lounge-style songs but also as perfect mood music for so many scenes as accordion music. I watch this movie every Thanksgiving because to me it's the perfect movie about Thanksgiving. No matter what you want or no matter how hard you work to achieve that... the most important thing is to always remember to be thankful for what you have. Even if it isn't a lot. Sometimes the frozen turkeys are "as good as the real." Absolute perfection. I could watch this movie a 1000 more times and still love every scene. So many classic lines. But one of my favorites about the hypnotist: ''I promise you, if your wife never wakes up again, I'll take you to the restaurant of your choice - do you like Chinese food? Ha! Here's a great New York Times review: http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9503EFDC163BF934A15752C0A962948260
I agree wholeheartedly. This is a wonderful film that gets better with repeated viewings. It's very funny but it treats it's not-so-bright and not-so-successful characters with human warmth. Mia Farrow, who I thought was stiff and completely ineffective in "Sex Comedy", is terrific here. The spirit of the title character pops up again, in different guises, in the Danny Devito character in "Anything Else" and in Woody's character in "Scoop".
Apparently this little film has just been chosen by the Writers Guild of America to be #1 on the "funniest screenplays" list. http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5949
Another little "plucked from the headlines" bit is from this just-published Vanity Fair interview with Diane Keaton. Thought it might interest some here: VF Hollywood: One aspect of the movie I really enjoyed was how each character has little private flashbacks to certain moments in their lives when something triggers a memory. I’m curious, if you could flash back to one moment in your career, what would it be? Diane Keaton: Well, I mean, look, the most important moments in my life are with my family, obviously. Of course, my career, it will always, always, always be Woody Allen. Nothing would have happened without Woody Allen. If I hadn’t been cast in that play [Play It Again, Sam] . . . I remember meeting him on the stage and auditioning with him. I remember thinking, I’m never going to get the part because I’m an inch taller than him. I remember he was on the stage, too, and he read with me. That was so odd because usually the stars don't read with you, especially if they are Woody Allen, so that's a moment that I will never forget. Was the chemistry between you two immediate? I wouldn’t say it was immediate, no. It was for me, because it was Woody Allen and he was funny. He used to go on the Johnny Carson show and that’s what I knew about him. I hadn’t been in the presence of a celebrity, not really, not at all, before that. In a recent interview, Emma Stone explained a theory she has about you and Woody after working with him—that Woody wants to make a movie with you now but reverse roles—so he plays the Diane Keaton part, and you play the neurotic Woody Allen part. What do you think about that theory? [Laughs] No, no. Look, she’s got a big imagination, that girl. She’s fantastic and she’s hard not to just fall in love with and she’s brilliant. Her theory is good, though, in a sense that it is unique. I would never think of that at all, definitely not. Definitely he doesn’t want to work with me again, are you kidding? We’re good friends. Well, I believe he said when asked recently that the issue in re-uniting was that he couldn’t afford you. [Laughs] He’s cracking me up. Like I’m getting paid some . . . like, oh wow. He can afford me. I dare him to invite me. full article: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/11/diane-keaton-interview
1985: "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" "I just met a wonderful man. He's fictional, but you can't have everything." My favorite ending of any Woody Allen film that isn't "Crimes and Misdemeanors".
Yet another image that I recall making up a full-page ad in the Sunday paper the week before it opened in Minneapolis. So many of these posters are so evocative in their simplicity...
Purple Rose Of Cairo and Zelig are two of my all time favorites from Allen, and definitely included in my list of overall favorite films. These are just brilliant.
Broadway Danny Rose. another one of his that I just stop and watch whenever its on. "He's a great talent and he's playin' joints!"
We have a better shot of seeing the Eric Stoltz "Back to the Future" footage than the Michael Keaton "Cairo" footage. Woody said he was "too contemporary", but I think it may have something to do with Keaton always have an undertone of sarcasm and cynicism in his delivery (one of the things that made him funny in the 80s, actually). He might have had a hard time doing a straight delivery of all those "Gee whiz!" Tom Baxter lines.
Like the upcoming Radio Days, Purple Rose has a very authentic look and feel to it. You get the sense that if an outdoor shot panned a little to the right or left it would get anachronistic; what's in the frame looks totally of its era. I wouldn't doubt that Woody & co. filmed some of these period locations just in the nick of time.
Another unsung hero of these films - at least unsung in the terms of this thread so far - is Dick Hyman, who's done a lot of the original music for Woody through the years. His period "novelty" songs in Zelig about "Leonard The Lizard" and so forth sound utterly convincing as period pieces. I believe he also composed the song for the film within the film in Purple Rose ("One Day At A Time"), but it sounds like a standard from way back when...
Broadway Danny Rose is in my top 5 favorite films. Not just in terms of Woody Allen - I mean all movies. I am so glad Woody did this "small" story capturing moments in time while delivering, IMO, his best performance, too. He captured NY, the borscht belt, the essence of two important cultures - with stereotypes on both sides played out with genuine affection all-around. The bittersweet ending is perfect - the whole film is terrific. Woody has said he was really disappointed that a picture of a door was the movie poster. Something like, "Who wants to see a movie about a door?" It's earned its shelf-life.. Jeff
