Manhattan (1979 film)

This is a movie about New York City.

It is shown in black and white. The maker wanted it to look like old photos.

The film has pretty music. The songs were written by George Gershwin. The music helps tell the story.

A man tells a story about his life. He has many friends in the big city. They go to museums and parks.

People think this is a great movie. It was very popular at the theater. Many people loved the actors.

It is a famous film today. It is kept in a special place to save it. Do you like movies set in big cities?

Manhattan is a famous movie from 1979. It is a romantic comedy-drama. This means it is a story about love and funny moments.

The film is shot in black and white. The director, Woody Allen, wanted it to look like old photos. He felt this was how he remembered the city.

The story follows a man named Isaac. He is a writer who loves New York City. The movie shows the city as if it were a character. Isaac has many friends and complex relationships. The film uses music by George Gershwin to help tell the story. One famous song used is Rhapsody in Blue.

Many people loved this film. It was a big success at the box office. Critics gave it very high scores. It even earned nominations for awards like the Academy Award. Because it is so important, the United States Library of Congress chose it for preservation. This helps keep the film safe for the future. It is now seen as a classic piece of art.

Manhattan is a famous American movie from 1979. It is called a romantic comedy-drama. This means the story mixes funny moments with serious feelings about love. The film was directed by Woody Allen and produced by Charles H. Joffe. It was written by Allen and Marshall Brickman. Many people think the film is a classic piece of art.

It was so important that the United States Library of Congress chose it for preservation in the National Film Registry. This helps keep the film safe for the future because it is culturally and historically significant.

The story follows a man named Isaac Davis. Isaac is a 42-year-old comedy writer who loves New York City. He is twice-divorced and has many complicated relationships. He dates a 17-year-old student named Tracy. Isaac also falls in love with Mary Wilkie. Mary is the woman his best friend, Yale Pollack, is seeing. The movie shows how these people navigate their feelings and their lives in the big city.

The city of Manhattan almost feels like a character in the story itself.

Woody Allen had a special way of making this film. He chose to shoot it in black-and-white. He did this because that was how he remembered the city from when he was small. He wanted the movie to have a beautiful look. He used a wide format called 2.35:1 widescreen. The crew also filmed many scenes on location in the city.

One famous scene was shot under the Queensboro Bridge at five in the morning. The crew even had to bring their own bench to the park for that shot.

Music plays a very big part in the film. The songs are all by a famous composer named George Gershwin. The most famous piece used is Rhapsody in Blue. This music helped inspire Woody Allen to make the movie. The soundtrack features the New York Philharmonic and the Buffalo Philharmonic.

The film was a huge success at the box office. It earned $39.9 million in the United States and Canada. This made it Woody Allen's second biggest hit at that time.

Many experts gave the film very high praise. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Mariel Hemingway was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Famous critics like Roger Ebert called it one of his "Great Movies." The film is also known for being very funny. It ranks on lists like the AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs. People still enjoy watching it today because of its grace and its humor.

Manhattan is a 1979 American romantic comedy-drama film. This genre combines humorous moments with serious emotional themes. The film was directed by Woody Allen and produced by Charles H. Joffe. Allen and Marshall Brickman co-wrote the screenplay. The movie is celebrated for its portrayal of complex human relationships. It is considered a significant work of American cinema.

In 2001, the United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. This honor recognizes the film as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

The plot centers on Isaac Davis, a 42-year-old television comedy writer. Isaac is twice-divorced and deeply loves New York City. He begins the film dating Tracy, a 17-year-old high school student. The story becomes complicated when Isaac falls for Mary Wilkie. Mary is the mistress of Isaac's best friend, Yale Pollack. Yale is a college professor who is married to a woman named Emily. The narrative explores how these characters navigate their romantic entanglements and personal neuroses. Isaac eventually reflects on the things that make life worthwhile, such as art and music.

The film's production involved specific technical and creative choices. Woody Allen chose to shoot the film in black-and-white. He explained that this style matched his childhood memories of New York City. The film also used a 2.35:1 Panavision aspect ratio, which is a widescreen format. This wide view allowed cinematographer Gordon Willis to capture the city as a central character. Most scenes were shot on location throughout the city. However, some scenes, such as those in a planetarium, were filmed on a studio set.

One notable production detail involves a famous shot under the Queensboro Bridge. The crew filmed this scene at five in the morning. Because there were no park benches available at the location, the production had to bring their own. The bridge featured two sets of necklace lights controlled by a city timer. As the sun rose, the lights were scheduled to turn off. During the shoot, one string of lights failed, forcing Allen to use that specific take. This moment captured a specific visual transition between night and dawn.

Music serves as a vital element of the film's identity. The entire soundtrack consists of compositions by George Gershwin. The piece "Rhapsody in Blue" served as the primary inspiration for the movie. The film opens and closes with this famous work. The soundtrack features performances by the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. It also includes the Buffalo Philharmonic under Michael Tilson Thomas. Other Gershwin pieces include "Sweet and Low Down" and "Embraceable You."

Upon its release in April 1979, the film was a major commercial success. It earned $39.9 million in North American box-office receipts. When adjusted for inflation to 2017 values, this total reaches $141,484,800. This figure made it Woody Allen's second-largest box-office success. The film also received significant critical attention. It earned nominations for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Mariel Hemingway also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Critics have long praised the film for its balance of humor and depth. It holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film appears on several prestigious lists of comedic works. It ranks 46th on the AFI's "100 Years...100 Laughs" list. It is also number 63 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Famous critic Roger Ebert included the film in his list of "The Great Movies." These accolades highlight the film's lasting impact on the art of romantic comedy-drama.