A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.A middle-aged couple suspects foul play when their neighbor's wife suddenly drops dead.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
44K
YOUR RATING
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 4 nominations total
Videos2
George J. Manos
- '21 Club' Staffas '21 Club' Staff
- (as George Manos)
- Director
- Writers
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
Larry and Carol are fairly normal New Yorkers who have sent their son off to college. They meet an elderly couple down the hall and later in the week find that the wife has suddenly died. Carol becomes suspicious of Paul who seems to be too cheerful and too ready to move on. She begins her investigation. Larry insists she is becoming too fixated on their neighbor as all of the irregularities seem to have simple non-homicidal explanations. Ted, a recently divorced friend helps her investigation and Larry begins to become jealous of their relationship and agrees to help her. —John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
- being followed in a car
- cheap hotel
- reference to warren comission
- reference to orson welles
- reference to bob hope
- 135 more
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG for mild language, and for elements of violence in a comic murder mystery
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaDiane Keaton replaced Mia Farrow. Woody Allen had written the lead female role for Farrow, but Keaton got the part following the breakup of the pair's personal relationship. There is a rumor that, despite the very public feuding between her and Allen, Farrow showed up for a costume fitting, and needed to be informed that she was no longer in the movie.
- GoofsAt their neighbors' house, Carol prepares coffee in the kitchen. She makes filter coffee and puts a can of water under the filter. You have to pour water in the machine to warm it up and then go through the filter. The can will be filled with coffee in the end.
- Quotes
Larry Lipton: I can't listen to that much Wagner, ya know? I start to get the urge to conquer Poland.
- SoundtracksI Happen to Like New York
(1930)
Written by Cole Porter
Performed by Bobby Short
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Top review
Fun House For Neurotics
Leave it to Woody Allen to create interesting characters and funny dialogue. He plays Larry Lipton, a New York City book editor, whose wife Carol (Diane Keaton) becomes convinced that one of their apartment neighbors is a murderer. Half the enjoyment of this film is watching, and listening to, neurotic Larry as he reacts to his wife's excellent sleuthing adventure. She and Larry's friend Ted (Alan Alda) plot strategy on how to catch the presumed murderer, much to the chagrin of Larry.
Some of the dialogue is amusing, like when Carol insists that Larry accompany her to the suspects' apartment for some serious nosing around. Says Larry: "I can't relax; I'm in a strange man's apartment in my T-shirt and pajamas".
My impression is that at least some of the dialogue is semi-improvised. Whatever the dialogue method, the result is back and forth banter that sounds highly natural and convincing. When you combine this naturalistic style of talk with terrific performances by Allen, Keaton, Alda, and several other actors, the time flies by, and you're sorry when the film ends.
The murder "mystery" element isn't really believable. But that's okay, since it's strictly ancillary to the characterizations and the humorous talk. Even so, there is indeed a puzzle that will be solved by the film's end.
Editing and cinematography are fine. Background music features 1930's and 40's pop songs. With all the NYC street scenes, I even learned what New Yorkers mean when they refer to a "crosstown bus".
Normally, I don't care for talky films. But the dialogue here is so clever that the cinematic experience is pleasant despite a talk heavy script. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" provides a lot of enjoyment, at the expense of a neurotic character whose life is turned into a fun house of comically scary and startling events.
Some of the dialogue is amusing, like when Carol insists that Larry accompany her to the suspects' apartment for some serious nosing around. Says Larry: "I can't relax; I'm in a strange man's apartment in my T-shirt and pajamas".
My impression is that at least some of the dialogue is semi-improvised. Whatever the dialogue method, the result is back and forth banter that sounds highly natural and convincing. When you combine this naturalistic style of talk with terrific performances by Allen, Keaton, Alda, and several other actors, the time flies by, and you're sorry when the film ends.
The murder "mystery" element isn't really believable. But that's okay, since it's strictly ancillary to the characterizations and the humorous talk. Even so, there is indeed a puzzle that will be solved by the film's end.
Editing and cinematography are fine. Background music features 1930's and 40's pop songs. With all the NYC street scenes, I even learned what New Yorkers mean when they refer to a "crosstown bus".
Normally, I don't care for talky films. But the dialogue here is so clever that the cinematic experience is pleasant despite a talk heavy script. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" provides a lot of enjoyment, at the expense of a neurotic character whose life is turned into a fun house of comically scary and startling events.
helpful•146
- Lechuguilla
- Feb 4, 2009
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Un misterioso asesinato en Manhattan
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $13,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $11,330,911
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,015,360
- Aug 22, 1993
- Gross worldwide
- $11,330,911
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content

Top Gap
By what name was Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) officially released in India in English?
AnswerRecently viewed
Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.