FILM Misfire ed as "The superior intellect creates his own moral uni- verse." Using his familiar tech- nique, he dissects his own ego and assigns the fragments to dif- ferent characters. The aspiring playwright Daniel Shayne {John Cusaek) and Cheech (Chazz Palmenteri). a hit man for the mob. represent two sides of Woody Alien. Shayne wants to become another Chekhov and talks to his Greenwich Village friends about artistic integrity, but he discovers compromise as the primrose path to production. To get mob money for the work, he accepts moll-doll Olive Neal (Jennifer Tilly) to play the part of a psychiatrist. Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest) has long ago drowned her career in bathtub gin, but she Diane Wiest and John Cusack in Woody Allen's "Bullets Over Broadway." does have name recognition, and by threat or seduction she THEN EUROPEAN DIREC- the 196O's who praised the Americans for can easily persuade Dan to rewrite scenes TORS were still making interest- their ability to stamp a commonly used film for her. With Cheech's muscular support, Wing films, some misguided critics genre, like the Western or the musical, with Olive, too, insists on a few "adjustments" explained that Americans only recycled old originality and even genius. What to enhance her part. From the first films, while across the Atlantic film makers Americans called imitation, the French moment artists talk to producers, who are embraced literature, theater and painting, were calling self-reflection: the genre little more than gangsters. Allen con- Of course, they concluded, the foreign reflects upon itself as it develops. cludes, they begin an irreversible series of sell-outs. produci had to be superior. Snobbery tri- Woody Allen's last two ventures build umphant! With the infallible wisdom of on familiar genres. Is this a personal Cheech does not sell out as easily as hindsight, it soon became clear that the reworking of cinema history, or is it the last Shayne, As Olive's bodyguard. Cheech sits burst of creative activity that expkxled and flicker of a fading talent? The use of awk- through the painful rehearsals. The abom- then Immediately fizzled in Sweden. Italy. ward alliterative titles is not a good sign. inable dialogue and improbable situations France and, to a lesser extent, in Spain and "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993) was a eventually get to him. and in desperation he Germany could not sustain itself by poach- detective caper with clear roots in the Thin begins offering suggestions. It is elear that ing on the territory of the other arts. Man series, and his latest Bullets Over he is a raw talent, with more experience of The Americans were cleiirly on the right Broadway, is a zany tribute to the gangsters life (and its sudden termination) than the sound track. The new American movie of the 193O's. like Paul Muni's "Scarface" N.Y.U. anarchist-playwright who wrote makers^Spielberg, Luca.s, Scorsese, for (Hawks, 1931). Presumption of the audi- this thing. Cheech soon takes over the re- example—all received their education ence's familiarity with the genre enables write and becomes so heavily invested in under a marquee rather than under an ivy- Allen and his co-writer Douglas McGrath to the project that he is willing to kill rather covered tower and did their advanced study reinvent the style in a comic style. than see his work mutilated by amateurs. in lui editing room rather than a library car- He does, and then he meets the end of all rel. When they reach into their cultural artists who value their integrity over the wishes of the producers. grab-bag to provide a historic allusion, it is I.N THIS LATEST FILM, Allen con- likely that they will come out with Orson tinues his cinema of narcissism, even down For Allen gangland becomes an effec- Welles rather than Wall Whitman. With to the self-justifying line, "The artist cre- tive and very funny metaphor for the arts. delicious irony, it was the French critics of ates his own moral universe," later repeat- The traditional gangster of the 193O's
22 AMERICA JANUARY 14,1995 works his way up in the mob. consolidates his power by eliminating rivals and becomes boss. Al the top of the world, he becomes too proud to deal with other ATTENTION mobs, the police or even his own hench- PASTORS AND PARISH LEADERS! men, and as a result, in the last reel he must die in a spray of lommy-gun fire. Inspire your parishioners—and increase Mass attendance Unlike Allen, Cheech failed to learn the —with thought-provoking words from their peers and U.S. lessons of his fathers in film. CATHOLIC. Like all Sunday morning snoozers, Catholics would love V-/ARLO DEPALMA'S COLOR to catch just one more wink of shut eye, yet millions rise camera and Santo Loquasto's design have and shine and make it to church. In his very special article, provided ihe dark, brooding look of crime "Why get up and go to Mass?" movies of the I93()'s and I94()"s. as they in Tom McGrath asks people why turn once tried to recreate the midnight and finds reasons ranging from world of 1920"s mobsters. As usual, the bouncy music provides ironic comment on being part of the parish family Ihe action. When Cheech. for example. to finding and celebrating quiet Ulkes his clients for a ride to the waterfront. time to nourishing their Ihe transaetion is accompanied by "Up a spirituality to just plain liking it! Lazy River." En.scmble acting has always been a With this article, you'll be \irtue in Allen films, and here the east is able to help your congregation linifonnly superb. Shayne is the Allen sur- recognize the importance of rogate. He is the striving artist and lover. Mass from the point of view ilie little man trying to survive in a hostile of a parishioner—people just universe. John Cusaek becomes the famil- iar "nebbish" character, even down to the like themselves. Get copies slammer and nervous gestures that became of this article and pass them part of the Allen screen persona. Dianne out to everyone in your Wiesl's booze-pickled VÍKÍÍI chords register parish. And give them several good several œtaves lower than Jennifer Tilly's answers to the often-asked question, nasal chirping, which leads Cheech to "Why get up and go to Mass?" devise a su-ategy so that he "won't have to lisien to her any more." Both are very ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ I ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ " ^^ «^^ ^— ^^ ^^ • -^^ ^^ »111 • -^^ ^^ _ funny. Chazz Palmenteri's face is as craggy as his voice and his morals. He is the per- Reprint Prices feet contrast to Jim Broadbent's plumpish 500 or more, 20
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