Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Martin Landau, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, Alan Alda, Anjelica Houston, Joanna Gleason, Mia Farrow
Woody Allen's contention in Crimes and Misdemeanors is that we all live in a godless universe, or at least a universe in which God turns a blind eye to evil. Then what guides us? During a deep philosophical conversation between a wealthy ophthalmologist named Judah (Landau) and his patient, a rabbi who is going blind (Waterston), the rabbi states, "I don't think I could go on living if I didn't believe there was a moral structure." Judah chillingly replies, "God is a luxury I can't afford." The rabbi believes Judah is merely confessing an affair to him, one which has gone on for two years and threatens to turn his world of wealth and privilege upside down. However, Judah has other plans, which involve hiring a hitman to forever silence his mistress. At first, such a thought repulses him. "She's not an insect to be stepped on." But when the chips are down, Judah decides to arrange the murder with help from his brother, who has Mafia connections.
This is the Crime. The Misdemeanor involves a struggling documentary filmmaker named Cliff whose marriage has turned platonic and is filming a documentary about his arrogant, rich, and famous brother-in-law whom he envies and hates. The brother-in-law Lester (Alda) is a sitcom writer and producer who theorizes: "Comedy is tragedy plus time", "If it bends it's funny, if it breaks it isn't" and "Oedipus is the structure of funny." Cliff can't stand him. Matters are only made worse when both men vie for the affections of production assistant Halley (Farrow), who likes Cliff well enough but may be more drawn to Lester. Cliff, although married, is in love with Halley and wants desperately to be with her. But can he find happiness in a godless universe? We know he can't compete with the powerful, assertive Lester, but stranger things have happened.
The film moves effortlessly between the two stories. Judah's dilemma takes on tragic dimensions, while Cliff's is played like a comedy in which the joke seems to always be on Cliff. Even Cliff's own documentary on a Holocaust-surviving professor hits a wall when the old man commits suicide out of the clear blue. "Every day he said yes to life. Today, he said no." Cliff is doomed to be unhappy, while Judah may actually come out clean on the other side. Is this just?
Crimes and Misdemeanors is one of Allen's best films. Landau's story takes unexpected turns, including a sudden bout of conscience which causes Judah to revisit the religious upbringing he had once dismissed. Regardless of Judah's crisis, his mistress is dead and being upset after the fact won't help in God's eyes. Judah's story is as absorbing as Cliff's is funny. The two stories which seemingly have little in common are dovetailed nicely during the final wedding sequence. We find out how things turn out for both Judah and Cliff during an enlightening conversation. It is telling that the guy who set up the murder of his lover is the happier of the two. What does that tell you about the universe?
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