Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
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92% of critics liked it
(38 reviews) -
89% of users liked it
(22,358 ratings)
Woody Allen spent most of the 1980s and '90s veering between comedy and drama, and he rarely combined the two with greater success than in Crimes and Misdemeanors, in which he weaved together two stories, one deadly serious, one often funny, both ending in sadness. Martin Landau plays Dr. Judah… More Woody Allen spent most of the 1980s and '90s veering between comedy and drama, and he rarely combined the two with greater success than in Crimes and Misdemeanors, in which he weaved together two stories, one deadly serious, one often funny, both ending in sadness. Martin Landau plays Dr. Judah Rosenthal, a prominent ophthalmologist with a successful practice, a loving family, and a reputation for generous charity work. But Rosenthal also has a secret: his mistress, Dolores (Anjelica Huston). What began as a casual fling has become uncomfortably intimate, and as he tries to break off the relationship, Dolores threatens to expose his infidelity to his wife and some unorthodox financial arrangements to his colleagues. Fearful that Dolores will make good on her threats, Judah confesses his secret to his brother Jack (Jerry Orbach), who has ties to organized crime and offers to "make the problem go away." Meanwhile, Cliff Stern (Woody Allen) is a filmmaker working on his pet project, a documentary about philosopher Prof. Louis Levy (Martin Bergmann). However, films about philosophers don't pay the rent, so Cliff's wife Wendy (Joanna Gleason) arranges for him to make a documentary for public television about her brother Lester (Alan Alda), a famous TV comedian whose vapidity is exceeded only by his arrogance. While Cliff tries to bite the bullet and finish the film, he finds himself falling in love with PBS producer Halley Reed (Mia Farrow). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Woody Allen
- Written By
- Woody Allen
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Oct 13, 1989 Wide
- Studio
- Orion Pictures Corporation
Critic Reviews
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
The overall 'philosophical' thrust -- that good guys finish last and that crime does pay -- is designed to make the audience feel very wise, but none of the characters or ideas is allowed to develop beyond its cardboard profile.
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Variety Staff, Variety
The structural and stylistic conceit is that when Landau is onscreen, the film is dead serious, even solemn, while Allen's own appearance onscreen signals hilarious satire and priceless one-liners.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Dramatically, the film seldom fulfils its promise, and its pessimistic 'moral' -- that good and evil do not always meet with their just deserts -- looks contrived and hollow. Intriguing and patchily effective, nevertheless.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
The movie's secret strength -- its structure, really -- comes from the truth of the dozens and dozens of particular details through which it arrives at its own very hesitant, not especially comforting, very moving generality.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The movie generates the best kind of suspense, because it's not about what will happen to people -- it's about what decisions they will reach.
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Cast
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Martin Landau
as Judah Rosenthal
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Woody Allen
as Cliff Stern
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Mia Farrow
as Halley Reed
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Alan Alda
as Lester
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Anjelica Huston
as Dolores Paley
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Jerry Orbach
as Jack Rosenthal
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Sam Waterston
as Ben
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Joanna Gleason
as Wendy Stern
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Caroline Aaron
as Barbara
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Claire Bloom
as Miriam Rosenthal
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Stephanie Roth
as Sharon Rosenthal
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Jenny Nichols
as Jenny
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David S. Howard
as Sol Rosenthal
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Anna Berger
as Aunt May
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Victor Argo
as Detective
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Martin Bergmann
as Prof. Louis Levy
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Hy Anzell
as Seder Guest
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Robin Bartlett
as Wedding Guest
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Bill Bernstein
as Testimonial Speaker
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Merv Bloch
as Wedding Guest
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Thomas Bolster
as Wedding Guest
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Frances Conroy
as House Owner
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Gregg Edelman
as Chris
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Joel Fogel
as TV Producer
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Sol Frieder
as Seder Guest
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Zina Jasper
as Carol
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Sylvia Kauders
as Seder Guest
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Dolores Sutton
as Judah's Secretary
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Jerry Zaks
as Man on Campus
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Justin Zaremby
as Seder Guest
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Nora Ephron
as Wedding Guest
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Warren Vache
as Jazz Band
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Kenny Vance
as Murray
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Donna Castellano
as TV Producer
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Thomas P. Crow
as TV Producer
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Randy Aaron Fink
as Groom
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Barry Finkel
as TV Writer
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Steve Maidment
as TV Writer
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Chester Malinowski
as Hit Man
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George Mason
as Photographer
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Stanley Reichman
as Chris' Father
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Nadia Sanford
as Alva
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Rebecca Schull
as Chris' Mother
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Garrett Simowitz
as Young Judah
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Marvin Terban
as Seder Guest
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Grace Zimmerman
as Bride
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Rabbi Joel Zion
as Rabbi
- Derek Smith