The Eyes of God- Through The Eyes of Woody Allen

Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors is a film with a message: God is blind to our sins, and to our virtues as well. The righteous often go unrewarded, and the wicked often go unpunished.

Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau) is an opthalmologist who has it all: a successful practice, an adoring family, and the respect of his peers. As the movie opens, he is honored for his achievements, but his image, at least in the eyes of the audience, is quickly tarnished. For two years, he's been cheating on his wife with an attractive flight attendant named Dolores (Anjelica Houston). Judah is a man with a conscience, and he knows it's time to go straight.

This proves difficult. Dolores is in love with Judah; she clings to him like he's a life preserver, unwilling to go back to the abysmal life she had before she met him. Her first approach is to remind him of the good times-- to suggest they spend time alone together, perhaps even take a vacation. When this tactic fails, she tries guilt. What about the lovers she passed up to be with him? What of the business opportunities she might have had if she had not devoted herself to him? This doesn't work either, and she's left with only one weapon: terror.

No Boiling Bunnies, But Terrorizing Nonetheless
Notes start to show up at home, addressed to Judah's wife, Miriam. The phone rings at odd hours. Dolores insists on speaking to Miriam, to "clear the air." Dolores threatens to expose their affair, and she also alludes to financial improprieties that could destroy the good doctor's reputation.

What's a guy to do? His perfect world is on the verge of collapse, and he must defend himself. Unable to soil his own pristine hands, Judah turns to his brother Jack, a shady character who he has never respected. Judah knows Jack can make both the decision and arrangements to solve his problem. Even as he asks Jack for help, Judah is appalled at the suggestion of violence. Or is he really appalled at all? I don't think so.

Judah knows the difference between right and wrong. Having a affair was wrong. The right thing to do would be to confess to his wife, and hope for forgiveness.

Judah knows the difference between right and wrong. He knows that he's supposed to be appalled at the suggestion of harming his mistress, but we know better. Why else would he have approached his brother for help?

Judah knows the difference between right and wrong, but he chooses to erase one sin with a greater one.

In a flashback, Judah and Dolores stroll along the beach, as Judah teaches Dolores about classical music. Schubert, to be specific. If you weren't paying attention, you might miss the brilliant irony in the soundtrack. When Dolores lies dead in her apartment, the background music is Schubert's Death and the Maiden.

Oh, The Guilt!
What does it feel like to end a person's life? Can you live with yourself afterwards? Can you go on believing you're a moral person, when you've arranged the murder of someone you once loved?

Judah struggles at first. His conscience almost drives him to confess, but as time passes and the police investigation goes nowhere, he comes to a surprising realization: not only will he get away with his sins-- he'll learn to live with them.

Woody's In Here, Too
Woody Allen plays the same character in all of his films. Sometimes he's rich, sometimes he's poor. Sometimes he's respected, sometimes he's not. But he is always Woody- neurotic, creative, and dysfunctional.

In this installment, Woody is Cliff Stern, a struggling documentary filmmaker. Cliff is married to a cynical woman who does not respect his work. She does respect her brother Lester (Alan Alda), a fantastically wealthy TV producer who Cliff detests. Cliff sees himself as the noble, talented, underappreciated filmmaker, and Lester as the lucky, talentless idiot who makes a killing dishing trash to the masses.

Lester's banal ideas and trite quotables make him the comic relief in this otherwise dark, serious film. While I would never call this movie a comedy, it has some of the funniest scenes Woody Allen has ever put on the big screen.

Life's not fair for Cliff. His projects keep failing, and when he finds a woman (Mia Farrow) who appreciates and understands his talents, she falls for Lester. She's a smart woman, a woman who should know better. Where's the justice?

There Is No Justice
Judah and Cliff are linked by one man, a Rabbi named Ben who is going blind. Ben is Cliff's other brother-in-law; he's the one Cliff likes.

Ben is also Judah's patient. Early in the movie, while Judah is still struggling with his conscience, he confides his infidelities to Ben. Ben sees a world that is basically good and just, and advises Judah to put his trust in his wife and confess. When the exam resumes, Judah confirms that Ben's vision is worsening.

Between a sinful man who has escaped punishment, and a virtuous man who can find no rewards, there is a man of God losing his sight. Judah remembers his father lecturing that "The eyes of God see all," but the events of his life have confirmed what he believed anyway: man is alone with his sins, and alone with his virtues.