Definitely top-tier Woody Allen. The writing, acting and directing are first-rate, as he finishes off another of his artistic purple patches. I'm not an Alan Alda fan in the slightest simply because he's so good at this slimy, know-it-all persona that he once again carries off so effortlessly here. An essential watch for all cinephiles, and worth a purchase and rewatches for Woody Allen enthusiasts.
I think of all Woody Allen's ensemble-style critiques of societal dysfunction, this is probably my favourite. Ostensibly, it's really about the perilous peccadilloes of "Judah" (Martin Landau) who is one of those highly respected clinicians who is married to "Miriam" (Claire Bloom) but has been having an affair with "Dolores" (Anjelica Huston) for as long as he can remember. To be fair to the man, he does love both women, but he is a downright liar promising the latter woman marriage when he hasn't the slightest intention of leaving his wife. Finally sick of this scenario, "Dolores" demands a meeting with "Miriam" and when that is swerved writes a letter that he is only just able to intercept. Now a little panic-stricken, he confides his predicament to his brother "Jack" (Jerry Orbach) who promises, for a token sum of money, to make the whole thing go away. In parallel to these domestic shenanigans, Woody himself makes his appearance as film cameraman "Stern" who is charged with making a documentary about the rather pompous "Lester" (Alan Alda) who reckons he, and he alone, understands the rudimentary nature of comedy. To put it mildly, "Stern" isn't exactly enjoying his task but he does take a bit of a shine to "Halley" (Mia Farrow) who appears to share his scepticism of their subject and his smarminess. With his marriage more obviously on the rocks, is there any chance he might be able to take his relationship with her to a next level? At times the proceedings do sail perilously close to farce, but the standard of the pithy and often sarcastic writing - especially as it emanates from "Stern", "Halley" and from the scene-stealingly obnoxious "Judah" and "Lester" keeps it from becoming as contrived as some of Allen's other more introspective and neuroses-driven works. Indeed, some of the put-down lines here are really quite between-the-eyes. It doesn't want for pace, nor for a wide variety of characters and their concomitant ludicrousness as just about every stereotype is presented and, to an extent, shot down in comedy flames.
