Manhattan

Manhattan, a romantic-comedy-drama film from 1979, stars Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, and Meryl Streep, among others. It's directed by Woody Allen himself, who co-wrote this cinematic love letter to his home city, New York, alongside Marshall Brickman. The film is widely acknowledged as a hallmark representation of the relationship complexities, abundant intellectualism, and neurotic charm that has become synonymous with Allen's signature style.

Shot entirely in black and white by Gordon Willis, Manhattan is a striking homage to New York City that beautifully captures its unique essence. The city's architecture and iconic sights, from the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, are brought to life with such elegance and grandeur that they become characters in their own right. From the exquisite skyline to the bustling streets, the city serves not just as a backdrop, but as a pivotal character, embodying its own invite to the akin whimsical charm and enchantment. Gershwin's music, used throughout the film, further enhances this depiction of the city, turning it into an awe-inspiring ballet of city life.

In Manhattan, Woody Allen plays Isaac Davis, a television writer chafing at the constraints of his medium who aims to create significant literature. His character embodies the typical "Allen" role -- witty and self-deprecating with a compelling but somewhat hapless appeal to his intellect. Isaac's love life is a series of complications and tense entanglements. He's twice-divorced, sharing custody of a son with his ex-wife Jill (played by Streep), who is now living with another woman, adding an extra layer of complexity to their relationship. Meanwhile, though keenly self-aware of the skewed morality, he finds a girlfriend in 17-year-old Tracy, portrayed with poignant depth by Mariel Hemingway.

The beautiful and intelligent Diane Keaton plays Mary, who adds further dimension and some seasoning to this already complex romantic recipe. Mary's intellectually engaging but emotionally erratic character forms the vertex of the film's main romantic triangle. Mary is currently in a platonic relationship with Yale (played by Michael Murphy), Isaac's best friend, and their interactions serve as a complicated counterpoint to Isaac's own romantic complexities.

Throughout Manhattan, Allen celebrates love in all its splendid and painful absurdities. His characters quarrel, pontificate, and oscillate between love and hate, passion and indifference. These discussions and confrontations about love are set against a beautifully portrayed Manhattan, creating compelling dialogues between characters and their surroundings. The famous scene of Isaac and Mary under the silhouette of the Queensboro Bridge perfectly captures this interplay.

Manhattan works on multiple levels. As a love story, it diligently investigates and amplifies the vagaries of romantic and platonic relationships within an urban milieu. As a comedy, the film offers quintessential Allen humor, teeming with sharp wit, self deprecation, and acute observations about culture, relationships, and the human psyche. But above all, it is an ode to the city of New York, filming it with an eye for capturing its captivation, its pulse, and its promise, that so often serve as the lifeblood through which the city flows and nourishes its inhabitants.

Allen's masterly cinematography presents a cinematic cityscape that's as compelling and complex as his characters. The grandeur and presence of New York City captured through the lens are nothing short of poetic. This comes across most powerfully in the opening montage, where the city's pulsating symphony and the risings and settings of life within it are documented through a series of evocative shots that match perfectly with Gershwin’s music.

A critical success upon its release, Manhattan is a witty exploration of relationships, individual weaknesses and resilience, and the pursuit of love in the contemporary world. Above all else, it is a real, unfiltered portrait of New York, lovingly captured through dazzling monochrome imagery and nuanced storytelling. Manhattan shines brighter than many films of its era or genre, making it an essential watch for cinephiles and lovers of thoughtful humor. One thing's for sure, you'll never see New York, or relationships, in quite the same way after viewing this classic, intricately layered masterpiece.