Manhattan (1979)

A twice-divorced comedy writer navigates a complex web of infidelity and romance while dating a teenager and falling for his best friend's mistress.

First release year

1979

Runtime (minutes)

96

Production countries

United States

Original languages

English

Directors

Woody Allen

Writers

Woody Allen · writer; Marshall Brickman · writer

Cast and characters

Woody Allen · Isaac Davis; Diane Keaton · Mary Wilkie; Michael Murphy · Yale Pollack; Mariel Hemingway · Tracy; Meryl Streep; Anne Byrne

Genres

romantic comedy-drama; comedy; drama

Themes

infidelity; romanticism; neurosis; cultural snobbery

Tone and mood

bittersweet; romantic; nuanced

Premise and plot tags

romantic comedy; drama; black and white; New York City

Source material / true-story basis

George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue

Reception

The film received largely positive reviews and was critically acclaimed, being noted for its balance of humor and romanticism. It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry and has been ranked on various 'best of' lists for comedy and romance.

Reported review scores

Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · review count: 71; Metacritic · score: 83% · review count: 10

Awards and nominations

Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · Nomination

Production trivia

Woody Allen was initially unhappy with the film and asked United Artists not to release it.; The film was shot in 2.35:1 widescreen and in black-and-white.; The famous Queensboro Bridge shot was done at five in the morning and required the production to bring their own bench.

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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