Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

One of Woody Allen's winners from the 1990s (albeit on a minor scale) reunites him quite snugly with Diane Keaton. Allen and Keaton have such a lived-in rapport (with plenty of jabs but no fatigue) that the sight of them together again in a comedy is an automatic uplift. They portray the Liptons, a regular N.Y.C. couple who suspect foul play from the elderly man in their building whose wife has suddenly died. Smooth, smartly assembled nuttiness with sensational support from Alan Alda as a playwright (with a crush on Keaton) and Anjelica Huston, putting off terrific comedic heat as a novelist. Wrapped up wonderfully with an homage to Orson Welles' "The Lady From Shanghai". Great fun! *** from ****

Fmovies: Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

This movie almost defines delightful--at least for people who already like Woody Allen. (For some, Allen will always be irritating, no matter how brilliant the movie.)

Without a shred of pretension, and without really any suspense in the usual murder mystery way, we get sucked into what is perhaps the most believable of murder mysteries ever. The reason is simple. It's told as if two very ordinary, slightly bookish, not so slightly neurotic New Yorkers stumble on a murder.

It's the story of what we would all do if we thought our neighbor had murdered his wife. The bumbling, the doubts, the revelations, the sneaking around, the giggling.

It helps (a lot) that we have the reuniting of Allen with Diane Keaton, and it's a nice breeze in the room to have both Alan Alda at his ordinary guy best and Angelica Huston as a true New Yorker brimming with confidence and savvy. (Huston is from California, a daughter in the famous movie family. Alda, nicely enough, is a New Yorker for real.)

Don't expect anything deep, hilarious, or clever (three of the many intentions in Allen's movies). But it's really well made, superbly written, acted with utter believability, paced with snap, and filled with small surprises. Using the crack team Allen had in place in this period (set designer, photographer, editor, etc.), almost nothing could go wrong. As long as you like this kind of thing in the first place--a Woody Allen movie in the easy going vein.

I loved it.

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) Dir: Woody Allen Supposedly Miss Keaton (never married by the way) only did this film as a favor to Mr. Allen who was enduring some rather unsavory press at the time concerning his breakup with actress Mia Farrow and his ensuing love affair with Miss Farrow's adopted teenage daughter. Because Allen needed a quick hit, he asked Keaton to help him out by starring in this murder mystery comedy. Luckily for Allen (and for that matter, Keaton) the movie was a hit.

Allen and Keaton star as husband and wife in a New York City apartment who suspect that their neighbor killed his wife! Angelica Houston and Alan Alda provide additional comic relief as friends helping the couple solve the mystery. Although the film takes its structure from Rear Window, Allen chose to end it with an homage to Orson Wells's classic mirror sequence in Lady From Shanghai. It's a very funny movie allowing Keaton and Allen to showcase their by now perfected New York City type characters.

Manhattan Murder Mystery fmovies. In Manhattan, Carol (Diane Keaton) and her husband Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) are coming home late night when they meet their next door neighbors Lillian (Lynn Cohen) and Paul House (Jerry Adler) in the elevator. Lillian and Paul invite their neighbors to drink coffee with them in their apartment and Lillian shows her treadmill to Carol and Paul shows his collection of stamps to Larry. While drinking coffee, the elderly couple tells that they have been married for twenty-eight years and they have a twin tomb in the cemetery. Lillian tells that she is in good shape and uses her treadmill everyday.

On the next night, Carol and Larry go to see The Flying Dutchman in the theater and when they come back home, they learn that Lillian has died of heart attack. A couple of days later, Carol and Larry meet Paul on the street and Carol believes he is too perky for a widower that has just lost his beloved wife. When Carol accidentally finds an urn with Lillian's ashes in Paul's kitchen, she suspects that Paul has killed Lillian and comments with her friend Ted (Alan Alda). They decide to investigate her neighbor and Carol steals the keys of Paul's apartment from the super. She finds that Paul will travel to Paris and not to Caribbean as he had told to Larry and she, with a woman called Helen Moss. When Carol sees by chance Lillian alive in a bus, her curiosity increases and she decides to go further in her investigation.

Yesterday I was setting in order and cleaning my films on the shelf, and I decided to see again the VHS "Manhattan Murder Mystery". Last time I saw this film was in the 90's and I did not recall the story in details. Woody Allen is one of my favorite directors and actor, and that is the reason why I do not dare to say that this film is one of his best films because I love practically all his filmography.

"Manhattan Murder Mystery" has mystery, suspense and the refined and witty humor typical from Woody Allen. One of my favorite moments is when Larry compares the need to Carol returning to her shrink with a GM's recall. Another very funny moment is when the clumsy Larry plays the wrong tape during the phone conversation with Paul. If the reader wants to spend 104 minutes laughing, watch "Manhattan Murder Mystery" since this film is funny even for those that are not fans of Woody Allen. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil):"Um Misterioso Assassinato em Manhattan" ("A Mysterious Murder in Manhattan")

Woody Allen and Diane Keaton reunite in this fine film, and both are in top form. Although it largely abandons the angst-filled themes of many of Allen's earlier films, it replaces it with a playfulness and sense of fun which elevates the film above your standard comedy or mystery. Alan Alda is notable for his fine performance, as well.

Couple Larry and Carol Lipton (Woody Allen and Diane Keaton) get involved with a complicated murder (they think) when their next door neighbor's wife dies suddenly. Her husband seems strangely calm about it and then Carol sees the dead wife alive and well on a bus...

This was a return to comedies after Allen had made a string of dramatic movies. Most people believed he couldn't do comedies anymore. It turns out he hadn't lost his touch and turned out one of his best movies. Seeing Keaton and Allen playing a couple was great (they always worked so well off each other) and, for once, Allen isn't the neurotic one--Keaton is! It was fun seeing him play the strongest partner in a relationship. The dialogue is hilarious--one good line after another and the murder mystery itself is very intricate and interesting. Also there are a number of great old songs playing in the background that perfectly complement the movie--especially "The Big Noise from Winnetka" (for when they drive across the bridge at night). And I loved that homage to Orson Welles "Lady from Shanghai" at the end.

The acting is almost all great. Allen and Keaton are just wonderful--right on target and acting (and speaking) like an old married couple. Alan Alda pops up as Keaton's best friend. I never really liked him but he's OK here. Anjelica Huston (looking incredible) also pops up and gives a very strong (and very funny) supporting role. Also look for Zack Braff (from the TV series "Srubs") in his very first role as Keaton and Allen's son (!!!)

My only complaint--the jerky, hand held camera-work. It worked fine in Allen's dramas but is just out of place here--the camera should move fluidly in a comedy. That's a small quibble though. This is WELL worth seeing.