Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

An ophthalmologist's mistress threatens to reveal their affair to his wife while a married documentary filmmaker is infatuated with another woman.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Martin Landau, Woody Allen, Bill Bernstein

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Bernstein	...	Testimonial Speaker
Martin Landau	...	Judah Rosenthal
Claire Bloom	...	Miriam Rosenthal
Stephanie Roth Haberle	...	Sharon Rosenthal (as Stephanie Roth)
Gregg Edelman	...	Chris
George J. Manos	...	Photographer (as George Manos)
Anjelica Huston	...	Dolores Paley
Woody Allen	...	Cliff Stern
Jenny Nichols	...	Jenny
Joanna Gleason	...	Wendy Stern
Alan Alda	...	Lester
Sam Waterston	...	Ben
Zina Jasper	...	Carol
Dolores Sutton	...	Judah's Secretary
Joel Fogel	...	T.V. Producer (as Joel S. Fogel)

Storyline

Judah Rosenthal is an ophthalmologist and a pillar of the community who has a big problem: his mistress Dolores Paley has told him that he is to leave his wife and marry her - as he had promised to do - or she will tell everyone of their affair. When he intercepts a letter Dolores has written to his wife Miriam, he is frantic. He confesses all to his shady brother Jack who assures him that he has friends who can take care of her. Meanwhile, filmmaker Cliff Stern is having his own problems. He's been working on a documentary film for some time but has yet to complete it. He and his wife Wendy have long ago stopped loving one another and are clearly on their way to divorce. He falls in love with Halley Reed who works with a producer, Lester. Cliff soon finds himself making a documentary about Lester and hates every minute of it.

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Plot Keywords:

documentary filmmaker | mistress | adultery | brother | guilty conscience | 

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Taglines:

A film about humanity.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

3 November 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brothers

Filming Locations:

5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$18,254,702

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (Mono)

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the first of three Woody Allen films in which Alan Alda starred. The other two are Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) and Everyone Says I Love You (1996).

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Goofs

When Judah decides to have Delores killed, he only dials seven digits on the phone calling his brother, Jack. Judah lives in Connecticut and Jack lives in New York, so he would have to dial at least 10 digits to call him.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Testimonial Speaker: We're all very proud of Judah Rosenthal's philanthropic efforts. His endless hours of fund raising for the hospital, the new medical center, and now, the ophthalmology wing, which until this year had just been a dream. But it's due to Rosenthal our friend that we most appreciate. The husband, the father, the golf companion. Naturally if you have a medical problem you can call Judah...
Miriam Rosenthal: You're blushing, darling.
Testimonial Speaker: ...day or night, weekends or holidays. But you can also call Judah to ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: Green Card/Almost an Angel/Hamlet/Come See the Paradise/Alice (1990)

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Soundtracks

Dancing on the Ceiling
(1930)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Performed by Bernie Leighton

User Reviews

A masterpiece

Martin Landau, a successful doctor, contemplates murdering a former mistress who threatens his easy life while Woody Allen, an unsuccessful filmmaker, contemplates having an extramarital affair. This film, alongside "Annie Hall," will one day be rated as one of Woody Allen's greatest achievements. It is an important, intelligent work that explores the implications of whether or not this is indeed a moral universe. It also very funny. The subplot about Allen making a film about his successful, conceited brother-in-law (Alan Alda.) A masterpiece. I doubt he will reach these heights again.