All language subtitles for American.Masters.Woody.Allen.A.Documentary.2011.1080p.BluRay.x264.AAC5.1-[YTS.MX]

Woody Allen: WRITING
IS THE GREAT LIFE,

'CAUSE YOU WAKE UP
IN THE MORNING,

YOU WRITE IN YOUR ROOM.

YOU KNOW, IN THE ROOM,

EVERYTHING IS GREAT, YOU KNOW,

'CAUSE YOU DON'T
HAVE TO DELIVER.

SO YOU WRITE IT,
AND YOU IMAGINE

IT'S "CITIZEN KANE"
OR, YOU KNOW,

EVERYTHING YOU WRITE IS GREAT.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO THEN
TAKE IT OUT AND DO IT,

THEN REALITY SETS IN.

THEN ALL YOUR SCHEMES
ABOUT MAKING A MASTERPIECE

ARE REDUCED TO,

"I'LL PROSTITUTE MYSELF
ANY WAY I HAVE TO,

TO SURVIVE THIS CATASTROPHE."

Diane Keaton:

I DON'T THINK THERE IS
ANYBODY LIKE WOODY.

I'VE NEVER MET
ANYBODY LIKE WOODY.

Larry David: YOU CAN'T COMPARE
ANYBODY TO WOODY ALLEN.

Doug McGrath:
HIS RANGE IS AMAZING.

YOU HAVE ONLY TO LOOK AT
"BANANAS" AND "MATCH POINT."

Scarlett Johansson:
IF YOU'D ASKED ME

WHAT DIRECTORS
I WANTED TO WORK WITH,

WOODY ALLEN WOULD'VE BEEN
AT THE TOP OF MY LIST.

Naomi Watts:
HE IS, WITHOUT QUESTION,

THE BEST ACTOR'S DIRECTOR
I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.

Martin Scorsese: NOT EVERYBODY
HAS THE STAYING POWER,

NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE TENACITY,

AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS
SO MUCH TO SAY.

Mira Sorvino: THE DAY THAT HE
FINISHES EDITING A FILM

IS THE DAY HE STARTS
TYPING THE SCRIPT OF THE NEXT.

HE NEVER TAKES ANY TIME OFF.

Leonard Maltin:
FOURTEEN SCREENPLAY NOMINATIONS.

FOURTEEN.

Chris Rock: WHO THE HELL
IS GOOD FOR 20 YEARS?

THIS GUY HAS BEEN GOOD
FOR 40 YEARS.

HE'S KIND OF PEERLESS.

Sean Penn: IT'S NOT JUST

THAT WE'RE STILL INTERESTED
IN WOODY ALLEN.

HE'S STILL INTERESTED
IN TELLING STORIES.

Keaton: ON THE ONE HAND,
HE'D BE BRILLIANT,

AND HIS INSIGHTS WERE AMAZING,

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
HE'D BE AN IDIOT.

Mariel Hemingway:
HE'S ALSO NOT NORMAL.

YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT
OF THE NORMAL STOCK.

Marshall Brickman:
NEUROSIS, FEARS, PHOBIAS...

Josh Brolin: A BIT ADOLESCENT,
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

Keaton: HE IS A LITTLE BIT
OF A HYPOCHONDRIAC.

Johansson: HE'S CRIPPLINGLY SHY.

Tony Roberts: OH, HE'S
DEFINITELY A LITTLE NUTTY.

Owen Wilson: HE REALLY
WEARS HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE.

HE'S A BIG HUGGER.

NO.

Brickman: I REMEMBER WHEN WOODY
WAS THE ANTI-CHRIST.

David: AND BY THE WAY, THE ONE
THING THAT I DIDN'T MENTION

IS THAT HE'S ALSO VERY FUNNY.

Allen: SO MUCH OF WHAT'S
FILTERED OUT

ABOUT ME OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN
COMPLETELY MYTHOLOGICAL.

I MEAN, COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW,
EXAGGERATED

OR DOWNRIGHT UNTRUE.

SOME OF IT'S BEEN TRUE,
OF COURSE.

WOULD YOU ENTER, MYSTERY
CHALLENGER, AND SIGN IN, PLEASE?

F.X. Feeney: SPEAK OF MAKING
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT WOODY ALLEN.

WHICH WOODY ALLEN?

THERE ARE ACTUALLY SO MANY.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE
THE STAND-UP COMIC,

THE AUTHOR OF CASUAL PIECES
FOR THE NEW YORKER

IN THE TRADITION
OF S.J. PERELMAN.

ARE YOU IN
THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD?

YES.

Feeney:
YOU HAVE THE CLARINETIST.

ARE YOU A NIGHTCLUB
ENTERTAINER?

MM, YES.

Feeney:
YOU HAVE THE PLAYWRIGHT.

ARE YOU PRIMARILY KNOWN
FOR YOUR WORK IN THE FILMS?

NO.

HE WAS MANY THINGS
BEFORE HE BECAME A FILMMAKER.

ARE YOU FEMALE?

NO.

I THINK FILM BECAME INEVITABLE

BECAUSE HE COULD BRING TOGETHER

ALL THE THINGS
THAT HE EXCELLED AT.

TO REALLY CONTEXTUALIZE
WOODY ALLEN

IN THE HISTORY
OF AMERICAN CINEMA,

ONE DOES HAVE TO GO BACK
TO CHARLIE CHAPLIN.

THE IDEA OF AN ACTOR
WHO BECOMES THE WRITER,

THE DIRECTOR, THE TRUE AUTEUR,

WHO PLACES HIMSELF

AT THE CENTER
OF THAT CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

CONSISTENTLY
THROUGH A NUMBER OF FILMS,

SO THAT ULTIMATELY THE PERSONA
DOES ENTER THE CULTURE.

I MEAN, THE REALITY IS,

WOODY ALLEN HAS MANAGED
TO DO THAT IN OUR OWN TIME.

I USED TO THINK THAT WOODY WAS

ESSENTIALLY A WRITERLY
SENSIBILITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I'VE SEEN,
YOU KNOW,

JUST A STEADY, STEADY GROWTH

IN HIS SKILLS AS A FILMMAKER,

COMPLEMENTING HIS SKILLS
AS A WRITER.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALMOST
AS GOOD AS WE GET.

MY PARENTS WERE NOT PRO-
WOODY GOING INTO SHOW BUSINESS.

THEY WANTED HIM TO BE
A PHARMACIST.

HE WAS THE WRONG PERSON
BORN TO THOSE PARENTS.

THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.

Allen: MY MOTHER
ALWAYS USED TO SAY

I WAS A VERY SWEET, HAPPY KID
RIGHT FROM THE START,

AND THEN SOMEWHERE
AROUND 5 OR SO,

I TURNED GRUMPIER OR SOUR.

I CAN ONLY THINK, WHEN I BECAME
AWARE OF MY MORTALITY,

I DIDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THIS ENDS?

THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS...

THIS DOESN'T GO ON LIKE THIS?

NO, IT ENDS.

YOU KNOW, YOU...
YOU VANISH FOREVER.

ONCE I REALIZED THAT, I THOUGHT,
"HEY, YOU KNOW, DEAL ME OUT.

I DON'T WANT TO PLAY
IN THIS GAME."

AND I NEVER WAS THE SAME
AFTER THAT.

HE'S BEEN DEPRESSED.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

WHY ARE YOU DEPRESSED, ALVY?

TELL DR. FLICKER.

IT'S SOMETHING HE READ.

SOMETHING YOU READ, HUH?

THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING.

Dr. Flicker:
THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING?

WELL,
THE UNIVERSE IS EVERYTHING,

AND IF IT'S EXPANDING,
SOMEDAY IT WILL BREAK APART,

AND THAT WILL BE THE END
OF EVERYTHING.

WHAT IS THAT
YOUR BUSINESS?!

HE'S STOPPED
DOING HIS HOMEWORK!

WHAT'S THE POINT?

AND THAT THOUGHT OVER THE YEARS

TOOK DIFFERENT FORMS
AS I LATER GOT OLDER

AND ALWAYS USED
MY CONCENTRATION CAMP EXAMPLE

OF PEOPLE AROUND ME HAVING FUN,
ENJOYING THEMSELVES.

AND I WANTED TO SAY,
"BUT DON'T YOU REALIZE

"YOU'RE GOING TO GO UP
IN A SMOKESTACK,

"YOU KNOW, IN A SHORT WHILE?

"SO WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY?

I MEAN, DOESN'T THAT THOUGHT
SORT OF PUT A DAMPER ON THINGS?"

I'M NOT SAYING
MY GRIM APPRAISAL IS RIGHT.

OF COURSE, I THINK IT IS,

BUT THIS IS ONLY MY PARTICULAR
TAKE ON EVERYTHING...

THAT WE ALL KNOW
THE SAME TRUTH,

AND OUR LIVES CONSIST
OF HOW WE CHOOSE TO DISTORT IT.

Allen: WHEN I GREW UP, BROOKLYN
WAS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.

THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC.

YOU COULD STAY OUT ALL DAY LONG
PLAYING BALL ON THE STREET.

AND YOU COULDN'T WALK TWO BLOCKS
WITHOUT COMING TO A MOVIE HOUSE.

A 15-MINUTE TROLLEY RIDE
TO CONEY ISLAND AND THE BEACH.

KIDS WERE SAFE.

I'D LEAVE THE HOUSE
AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING

AND COME BACK AT 7:00 AT NIGHT.

AND WHEN I THINK BACK ON ALL
THOSE WONDERFUL STORES,

YOU KNOW, BAKERY STORES
AND DELICATESSENS

AND CHINESE RESTAURANTS

AND MOVIE HOUSES
AND CANDY STORES...

AND IF YOU COULD CUT BACK

TO WHEN I WAS A BOY
IN THE EARLY '40s,

YOU KNOW, IT WAS SENSATIONAL.

WE ALWAYS LIVED WITH RELATIVES.

I LIVED WITH COUSINS
AND AUNTS AND UNCLES,

AND WE ALMOST NEVER LIVED ALONE.

YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A CARRY-OVER
FROM THE DEPRESSION,

WHEN FAMILIES
WERE GETTING TOGETHER.

SO IT WAS ALWAYS VERY LIVELY.

PEOPLE DOING THINGS
AND YELLING AT EACH OTHER,

AND ACTIVITY.

IT WAS A MADHOUSE ALL THE TIME.

Letty Aronson: WOODY'S ORIGINAL
NAME, BIRTH NAME,

WAS ALLAN STEWART KONIGSBERG.

NOW, MY PARENTS
ALWAYS CALLED HIM ALLAN.

THEY NEVER STOPPED
CALLING HIM ALLAN.

WHAT WAS THE MOST MISERABLE
THING ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?

PROBABLY THE FACT
THAT I WAS YOUNG.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH.

IT WAS.

IF... IF I COULD HAVE BEEN
OLDER AT THE TIME,

I THINK I COULD'VE
CARRIED IT OFF MORE.

Allen: MY MOTHER USED TO LEAVE
ME WITH THESE MAIDS ALL THE TIME

BECAUSE SHE WAS WORKING.

AND I REMEMBER ONE OF THEM
WHEN I WAS A KID,

AND I WAS IN MY CRIB
AT THE TIME,

EXPLAINING TO ME THAT IF SHE
WANTED TO, SHE COULD KILL ME.

THAT SHE COULD SMOTHER ME,
AND SHE DEMONSTRATED IT.

SHE COULD WRAP ME IN A BLANKET,

COMPLETELY CUTTING OFF
ALL MY AIR,

AND SMOTHER ME AND THEN JUST
DUMP ME IN THE GARBAGE OUTSIDE.

IT WAS JUST...
BUT SHE DID DO IT.

I COULDN'T BREATHE
FOR A FEW SECONDS,

AND THEN SHE LET ME OUT,

AND, YOU KNOW,
ONE WONDERS HOW CLOSE I CAME.

Man: SO IF THAT NANNY WERE
JUST LIKE 10% CRAZIER,

THAT COULD HAVE BEEN...

SURE.
SURE.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN,

YOU KNOW, THE WORLD BE POORER

A NUMBER OF GREAT ONE-LINERS.

MY GRANDFATHER, ON HIS DEATHBED,

SOLD ME THIS WATCH.

Louise Lasser: HIS FATHER WAS
THE SWEETEST MAN YOU COULD MEET.

HE WAS JUST SO SWEET,
AND HE'D CALL US EVERY DAY.

HE'D SAY, "IT'S GOING TO RAIN.

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH CANNED GOODS
IN THE HOUSE?"

YOU KNOW, WE KNEW MY FATHER
AS MARTIN KONIGSBERG.

BUT ACTUALLY, WHEN... ONE YEAR

WHEN THEY HAD TO GET
BIRTH CERTIFICATES,

MY FATHER'S NAME
WAS ACTUALLY MAX.

BUT WE ALWAYS
KNEW HIM AS MARTIN.

HE WAS BORN IN 1900
AND LIVED TO 100 YEARS OLD.

MY MOTHER WAS NETTIE CHERRY.

SHE WAS BORN IN 1906.

AND SHE LIVED TILL 96.

OUR FATHER'S PARENTS CAME
TO THE UNITED STATES

FROM RUSSIA BY WAY OF ENGLAND.

OUR MOTHER'S FAMILY
CAME FROM AUSTRIA.

BUT OUR MOTHER AND FATHER
WERE BORN HERE.

HIS FATHER WAS QUITE WEALTHY

AND AT ONE TIME OWNED
THE MOVIE THEATER IN BROOKLYN,

MIDWOOD MOVIE THEATER,
AND THEN LOST A LOT OF MONEY.

AND HE WAS LIKE EGG CANDLING
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

AND MY MOTHER
WAS WORKING FOR HIM.

HE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS,
YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE

AND MY FATHER WAS NOT.

ANYWAY, HE INTRODUCED
MY FATHER TO MY MOTHER,

AND THEY GOT MARRIED.

THEY NEVER GOT ALONG.

THERE WAS A PERIOD OF YEARS
WHEN THEY NEVER EVEN SPOKE

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.

IT GOT BETTER
ONCE THEY WERE MUCH OLDER.

THEY WERE MARRIED
FOR EVER AND EVER AND EVER,

BUT FOR MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD
THAT I REMEMBER,

THEY ARGUED OR DIDN'T SPEAK.

MY LITTLE ADORABLE FATHER WORKED
FOR THE SAME FIRM FOR 14 YEARS.

THEY FIRED HIM.

THEY REPLACED HIM
WITH A GADGET THIS BIG.

DOES EVERYTHING
THAT MY FATHER DOES,

ONLY IT DOES IT MUCH BETTER,
YOU KNOW.

AND THE DEPRESSING THING IS,

MY MOTHER RAN OUT
AND BOUGHT ONE.

Man: WHAT DID YOUR FATHER
DO FOR A LIVING?

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

HE DID EVERYTHING
OVER THE YEARS...

JEWELRY ENGRAVING...

HE WAS A BOOKMAKER FOR A WHILE.

A WAITER AT
SAMMY'S BOWERY FOLLIES.

THEN HE WAS...
HE RAN A POOL ROOM.

HE WAS A TAXI DRIVER.

HE WAS A BARTENDER.

HE WAS A WAITER.

HE WAS A JEWELER.

YOU KNOW,
HE WAS UNSKILLED LABOR.

YOU KNOW, HE DID
ALL KINDS OF THINGS,

SMALL JOBS OVER THE YEARS.

WHAT DO YOU DO, DAD?

IT'S NONE
OF YOUR BUSINESS.

ALL MY FRIENDS KNOW WHAT
THEIR DADS DO FOR A LIVING.

DON'T YOU HAVE
ANY HOMEWORK?

HEY, CAN I HAVE 15 CENTS FOR
THE NEW MASKED AVENGER RING?

WHAT AM I,
MADE OF MONEY?

Woman: PAY MORE ATTENTION
TO YOUR SCHOOLWORK

AND LESS TO THE RADIO.

YOU ALWAYS LISTEN
TO RADIO.

IT'S DIFFERENT.

OUR LIVES
ARE RUINED ALREADY.

YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE
TO GROW UP AND BE SOMEBODY.

YOU THINK I WANT YOU
WORKING AT THE JOB I DO?

I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT YOUR JOB IS.

Aronson:
MY FATHER WAS NOT THE ONE

SAYING, "YOU HAVE TO STUDY,
YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL,

YOU HAVE TO DO THIS,
YOU HAVE TO DO THAT."

IT WAS MY MOTHER.

IT WAS MY MOTHER WHO...

WHO REALLY HAD TO PUSH,

YOU KNOW, TO GET ANYTHING
ACCOMPLISHED.

YOU WERE A VERY BRIGHT CHILD.

YOU SPOKE YOUNG, YOU WERE... YOU
WERE VERY YOUNG WHEN YOU SPOKE.

YOU WERE ALWAYS RUNNING,

WHETHER IT WAS THE STREET
OR THE HOUSE OR YOUR ROOM.

YOU NEVER STAYED PUT
FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE
THAT TYPE OF A CHILD.

YOU WERE TOO... TOO ACTIVE
AND TOO MUCH OF A CHILD FOR ME.

I WASN'T THAT GOOD TO YOU,

BECAUSE I WAS VERY STRICT
WITH YOU,

WHICH I REGRET, BECAUSE I THINK
IF I HADN'T BEEN THAT STRICT,

YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MORE...
NOT SO IMPATIENT.

YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN,
WHAT SHOULD I SAY?

NOT "BETTER"...

YOU'RE A GOOD PERSON...
BUT MAYBE SOFTER, MAYBE WARMER.

AND DID YOU TAKE UP BOXING
REALLY TO ESCAPE FROM POVERTY

OR JUST BECAUSE
YOU ENJOYED IT?

NO, I TOOK UP BOXING SO I COULD
DEAL WITH MY MOTHER.

YES, THERE WERE
A GREAT MANY SUBJECTS

WE DISAGREED ON, AND FREQUENTLY
THE ONLY WAY TO SETTLE MATTERS

WAS TO PUT ON THE GLOVES
AND GET INTO THE RING.

AND I USED TO KNOCK HER TEETH
OUT ALL THE TIME.

REALLY?

YEAH, AND SHE'S
AN OLD WOMAN, YOU KNOW.

YEAH,
SO, THAT'S WHY.

I'LL JUST GRAB MY LID.

GIVE ME A LITTLE PROTECTION.

CAN I GET OUT ON THIS SIDE?

Man: OH, NO, WAIT UP.

Allen: THIS IS THE HOUSE
THAT I WAS BORN IN.

AND WE WERE ON THE TOP FLOOR.

THE LANDLORD LIVED
ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.

I REMEMBER AS A LITTLE BOY

INFURIATING THE LANDLORD
BECAUSE...

YOU SEE, THE POT THERE

USED TO HAVE BIG RED GERANIUMS
IN THEM,

AND I JUST RIPPED THEM ALL OUT
SO I COULD HIDE MY SOLDIERS.

I USED TO SIT ON THIS STOOP
ALL THE TIME,

AND THIS WAS WHERE... WHERE WE
ROOTED AGAINST THE NAZIS,

YOU KNOW, AND I HAD
ALL MY...

YOU KNOW, THIS IS
WHERE I FIRST WENT TO SCHOOL,

TO KINDERGARTEN
AND THEN FROM HERE.

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH,
BUT IT WASN'T.

I'LL TAKE YOU AROUND THE CORNER

AND SHOW YOU WHERE
THE MIDWOOD THEATER,

THE MOVIE HOUSE, WAS.

NOW, GOD, WHEN YOU THINK OF IT,
YOU KNOW,

THE AMOUNT OF MOVIES
THAT I SAW RIGHT HERE,

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST ASTONISHING.

THIS WAS A VERY GLAMOROUS PLACE
AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW,

A VERY PRETTY THEATER
WITH PLUSH CARPETS AND SCONCES

AND BEAUTIFUL GLASS FIXTURES,

LINES OF MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, ATTRACTIVE GIRLS

AND NICE-LOOKING YOUNG GUYS,

AND ALL GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT NOW WE CONSIDER

OUR CLASSIC MOVIE HERITAGE.

IT WAS ALL... IT WAS ALL HERE.

NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT,
IT'S NOT AS NICE.

I STARTED ON THE CLARINET
AT ABOUT 15.

ACTUALLY, I STARTED
ON THE SOPRANO SAXOPHONE,

BECAUSE I WANTED TO PLAY
LIKE SIDNEY BECHET,

AND THEN I REALIZED IN
THE FIRST TWO OR THREE MINUTES

THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN I STARTED PLAYING
THE CLARINET.

I LIKE TO PLAY.
IT'S JUST A HOBBY, YOU KNOW.

I ALWAYS LIKED JAZZ.

I LIKED TO LISTEN
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I STILL LIKE TO LISTEN,
OF COURSE.

BUT THE CLARINET, I MOSTLY
PLAYED BY MYSELF.

I CALLED UP A JAZZ MUSICIAN,
QUITE A WELL-KNOWN JAZZ MUSICIAN

NAMED GENE SEDRICK,
AND ASKED HIM

IF HE WOULD GIVE ME
SOME LESSONS,

AND HE USED TO COME TO MY HOUSE,

AND HE WOULD JUST SIT
IN MY LIVING ROOM WITH ME

AND PLAY SOMETHING AND SAY,
"YOU DO IT NOW."

AND GRADUALLY,
I LEARNED HOW TO PLAY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ON LOCATION
DOING A FILM,

THERE ARE TIMES HE BRINGS
HIS INSTRUMENT WITH HIM

AND PRACTICES IN THE CAR
ON A BREAK.

BUT HE PRACTICES ALL THE TIME.

Allen: IT'S A PLEASURABLE THING
TO PLAY.

IF YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT,
IT'S FUN TO PLAY IT,

AND IT'S FUN TO PLAY IT
WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

AND AS IT TURNS OUT,

PEOPLE COME AND LISTEN TO US.

HE LOVES GOING TO THE CARLYLE

EVERY WEEK
AND PLAYING MUSIC THERE.

HE DOESN'T SEE IT AS, "OH, I
HAVE TO GO, IT'S MONDAY NIGHT."

HE LOVES DOING IT.

AND HE'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT
HE DOESN'T FEEL HE CAN DO WELL,

AND SO THE PRACTICE IS
NECESSARY, AND THAT'S IT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FOREGONE
CONCLUSION THAT HE'LL DO IT.

Juliet Taylor: HE SAID TO ME

THAT IF HE COULD DO ANYTHING
IN THE WORLD,

HE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN
A CLARINET PLAYER

MORE THAN A FILMMAKER.

Feeney: HIS SENSITIVITY
TO MUSIC

IS KEY TO HIS SUCCESS
AS A FILMMAKER,

BECAUSE VERY EARLY ON,
RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST FILMS,

HE'S GOT A SENSE OF RHYTHM,
A SENSE OF TIMING.

RHYTHM AND TIMING ARE KEY
TO SUCCESS IN COMEDY.

BUT BECAUSE HE HAS THIS OTHER,
SORT OF MELODIC SENSITIVITY,

I THINK IT REALLY MAKES IT
POSSIBLE FOR HIM

TO NOT ONLY DO
EXCELLENT COMEDY,

BUT IT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM
TO BE EMOTIONAL AS WELL.

Lasser: IT'S MORE DIRECT
EXPRESSION OF EVERYTHING,

DON'T YOU THINK, MUSIC?

YOU KNOW, HE ALWAYS WOULD TALK
ABOUT SIDNEY BECHET,

AND HE HAS THAT SWEET,
WINSOME SOUND.

WOODY HAS THAT SOUND.

IT'S IN HIS PERSONA,
HIS PUBLIC PERSONA,

BUT IT'S ALSO IN HIM.

IT'S JUST IN HIM.

Allen: OUR LAST YEARS
OF HIGH SCHOOL IN MIDWOOD,

YOU KNOW, ALL MY FRIENDS WERE

DECIDING WHAT THEY WERE
GOING TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.

THEY WERE GOING TO BECOME
DOCTORS AND LAWYERS.

AND SOMEONE SUGGESTED
THAT I TRY WRITING GAGS.

AND I DID TRY IT AFTER SCHOOL.

SO HE STARTS SENDING JOKES IN
TO THE NEWSPAPER,

AND THEY STARTED PRINTING THEM.

Allen: I WAS SHOCKED.

MY NAME WOULD SUDDENLY APPEAR
IN WALTER WINCHELL'S COLUMN

AND EARL WILSON, AND THERE WERE
MANY COLUMNISTS AT THE TIME,

FRANK FARRELL, HY GARDNER,
LEONARD LYONS.

I DID NOT WANT TO APPEAR
IN BROADWAY COLUMNS

AND IN THE NEWSPAPERS
WITH MY OWN NAME,

BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY

AND SIT IN MY MATH CLASS
OR MY HISTORY CLASS

AND HAVE SOME GUY OR GIRL
TURN TO ME AND SAY,

"HEY, I SAW YOUR NAME
IN WALTER WINCHELL'S COLUMN."

AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS SHY.

I WANTED TO KEEP
MY FIRST NAME, ALLAN,

AND I JUST THREW ON THE FIRST
THING THAT CAME TO MIND WITH IT.

"WOODY ALLEN" KIND OF HAD A NICE
COMEDIC RING TO IT,

AND IT SEEMED THAT THAT WOULD BE

A BETTER GUY
TO BE SIGNING GAG LINES

THAN ALLAN KONIGSBERG.

THERE WAS A PRESS AGENT,

A PUBLIC RELATIONS MAN
NAMED DAVID ALBER.

AND HIS JOB WAS TO COME UP WITH
FUNNY LINES

TO PUT IN THE MOUTHS
OF HIS CLIENTS.

AND HE CALLED UP AND SAID,
"WHO IS THIS GUY, WOODY ALLEN,

WHOSE NAME I READ ALL THE TIME
IN THE COLUMNS?"

AND I THINK IT WAS EARL WILSON

AT THE POST AT THAT TIME
THAT SAID,

"HE'S SOME KID IN BROOKLYN

WHO SENDS ME THESE JOKES
AFTER SCHOOL."

AND HE HIRED WOODY TO COME IN
AT $25 A WEEK AFTER SCHOOL

TO WRITE JOKES.

AND I WAS DOING ABOUT 50 JOKES
A DAY FOR A LONG TIME.

IT WAS NOT HARD.

Eric Lax: WELL,
HE THOUGHT HE WAS

IN THE HEART OF SHOW BUSINESS.

AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE
HE WAS WORKING WITH

WAS A GUY NAMED MIKE MERRICK,

WHO WAS IN HIS EARLY 20s.

AND MERRICK HAD THESE
ROUND, BLACK GLASSES.

Allen: AND I THOUGHT, "HEY,

I WOULD LOOK GOOD IN THOSE."

SO I BOUGHT THESE
BLACK-RIMMED GLASSES

AND PUT THEM ON AND WORE THEM,
AND NEVER GAVE MY GLASSES

A SECOND THOUGHT
FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

FROM THERE, I WAS ASKED IN
TO WRITE SOME JOKES

FOR THE ARTHUR GODFREY PROGRAM,

FOR PETER LIND HAYES
AND MARY HEALY...

THEY DID A RADIO PROGRAM.

AND THAT EVENTUALLY
GOT TO HERB SHRINER,

WHO WAS A WONDERFUL COMEDIAN,
AND I WROTE FOR HIM.

AND I NEVER REALLY STOPPED.

I WAS NEVER OUT OF WORK.

BY THE TIME HE WAS 16 OR 17,

HE WAS MAKING MORE
THAN HIS PARENTS,

AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY EMPLOYED
EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE SINCE.

THIS IS WHERE I WORK.

MY HOUSE IS ALWAYS FULL OF
CLARINET REEDS EVERYPLACE.

I BOUGHT THIS WHEN I WAS 16.

IT STILL WORKS LIKE A TANK.

AND IT'S A GERMAN TYPEWRITER,
AND IT'S AN OLYMPIA PORTABLE.

I'VE HAD IT MY WHOLE LIFE.

IT COST ME $40, I THINK.

THE GUY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE
AROUND LONG AFTER MY DEATH.

AND I'VE TYPED EVERYTHING
THAT I'VE EVER WRITTEN...

EVERY SCRIPT,
EVERY NEW YORKER PIECE,

EVERYTHING I'VE EVER DONE,
ON THIS TYPEWRITER.

IT USED TO HAVE A METAL PIECE
ON TOP, COVERING THIS,

WHICH I LOST 30 YEARS AGO.

Man: ONE ADVANTAGE, OBVIOUSLY,
TO A WORD PROCESSOR IS,

YOU CAN ELECTRONICALLY
CUT AND PASTE.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN
YOU HAVE TO CUT AND PASTE?

Allen: IF I'M TYPING SOMETHING,
I HAVE MY SCISSORS HERE,

AND I HAVE A LOT
OF THESE THINGS,

THESE LITTLE STAPLING MACHINES.

SO IF I'M TYPING SOMETHING,

I TYPE THE PART
THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, NOBODY CAN REALLY TYPE
MY STUFF.

IT LOOKS TERRIBLE ON THE PAGE,

SO I HAVE TO TYPE IT,
BECAUSE I HAVE ARROWS

AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT WHEN I COME TO A NICE PART,

THEN I CUT THAT PART OFF

AND STAPLE IT ON
TO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THIS.

IT'S VERY PRIMITIVE, I KNOW.

BUT IT WORKS VERY WELL FOR ME,
AND I CAN TYPE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN,
I CAN TOUCH-TYPE.

SO THERE'S NO PROBLEM.

Aronson: WOODY DATED A LOT,

BUT DIDN'T REALLY BRING,
THAT I RECALL,

DIDN'T REALLY BRING GIRLS HOME
UNTIL HE WAS DATING HARLENE,

WHOM HE EVENTUALLY MARRIED.

AND HE WAS VERY YOUNG.

HE WAS I THINK ABOUT 17,

AND THEN 18 WHEN HE MARRIED HER.

Allen: IT'S FUNNY...
WHEN YOU'RE REALLY YOUNG,

YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT AND YOU GO
TO THE MOVIES AND YOU GO BOWLING

AND YOU GO TO THE DRIVE-INS,

AND THEN THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO
BUT TO GET MARRIED.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING.

WE'VE EATEN
AT ALL THE RESTAURANTS,

AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE SEEN THE MOVIES

AND BEEN TO THE THEATER,
THE BALL GAMES,

SO WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO?

IT'S 8:00, LET'S GET MARRIED.

SO WE GOT, YOU KNOW,
WE GOT MARRIED.

AND WE WERE BOTH KIDS.

AND IT SERVED A VERY GOOD
FUNCTION FOR BOTH OF US.

IT GOT US OUT
OF OUR PARENTS' HOMES.

IT GOT US UP ON OUR FEET.

AND I SUDDENLY FOUND
THAT I WAS 20 YEARS OLD.

I WAS MARRIED AND HAD
RESPONSIBILITIES,

BUT WE JUST, YOU KNOW,

WERE TOO YOUNG TO HAVE
A LIFETIME TOGETHER.

I MARRIED A VERY IMMATURE WOMAN,
AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

SEE IF THIS
IS NOT IMMATURE TO YOU.

I WOULD BE HOME,
IN THE BATHROOM, TAKING A BATH,

AND MY WIFE WOULD WALK RIGHT IN
WHENEVER SHE FELT LIKE,

AND SINK MY BOATS.

IN 1956, AFTER WRITING
FOR A NUMBER OF COMICS,

WOODY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GO TO TAMIMENT.

IT'S A RESORT IN THE POCONOS
THAT SPECIALIZES IN THEATER.

Allen: PEOPLE WOULD FLOOD
UP THERE FRIDAY NIGHTS

AND STAY FOR THE WEEKENDS.

AND THEY HAD A STAFF OF WRITERS,

DANCERS, DIRECTORS,
CHOREOGRAPHERS,

WHO WOULD PUT ON AN ORIGINAL
LIVE REVUE SHOW

EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

I WAS ADVISED TO GO THERE,

BECAUSE YOU REALLY
GET EXPERIENCE

WRITING FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE.

HOW TO WRITE NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL
JOKES BUT, YOU KNOW,

5-MINUTE SKETCHES, 3-MINUTE
SKETCHES, 8-MINUTE SKETCHES.

SO, I WENT AND I DID
THREE SUMMERS THERE.

THE FIRST SUMMER,
I WROTE SKETCHES.

THE SECOND SUMMER, I WROTE
SKETCHES AND DIRECTED THEM.

AND THE THIRD SUMMER, I WROTE
SKETCHES AND DIRECTED THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULDN'T SIT
IN A ROOM

WAITING FOR YOUR MUSE
TO COME AND TICKLE YOU.

MONDAY MORNING CAME, THERE WAS
A DRESS REHEARSAL THURSDAY.

YOU HAD TO GET THAT THING
WRITTEN.

AND IT WAS GRUELING,
BUT YOU LEARNED TO WRITE.

AND FROM THERE, I MANAGED TO GO

DIRECTLY TO
THE SID CAESAR SHOW.

SID WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGED
COMIC GENIUS,

AND EVERYBODY WANTED
TO WRITE FOR HIM.

AND SUDDENLY, I GOT HIRED,
AND I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW,

20, 21 YEARS OLD.

AND I FOUND MYSELF WRITING WITH
MEL BROOKS

AND WRITING WITH LARRY GELBART
AND MEL TOLKIN.

WHY DON'T YOU
TRY TO GO UPSTAIRS

AND GET SOME REST, HUH?

Allen: I SAID, "MY GOD,
I'M WRITING FOR SID CAESAR."

AND IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE
IN MY LIFE.

BEST NOT TO TAKE ANY
OF THE ROOMS UPSTAIRS,

BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE
MEMORIES OF CECILY.

JOHN, PLEASE, WE HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT THIS.

YOU CAN'T LIVE
IN A MANSION...

DON'T SIT
IN THAT CHAIR!

CECILY USED TO SIT
IN THAT CHAIR.

IT'S LIKE SITTING
ON A MEMORY.

JOHN, PLEASE, THIS IS...

DON'T SIT ON THAT CHAIR!

SHE USED TO PUT HER FEET
ON THAT CHAIR

WHEN SHE SAT IN THAT CHAIR.

SHE WAS A VERY LONG GIRL.

Allen: AT THAT TIME,
JACK ROLLINS AND CHARLES JOFFE

HAD A MANAGEMENT BUSINESS,

AND THEY WERE THE ROLLS-ROYCE
OF MANAGEMENT.

THEY WERE THE ONES THAT
EVERYBODY WANTED TO GO WITH.

Rollins: AND WOODY SAID,
WOULD CHARLIE AND I

BE INTERESTED IN HIM
AS A WRITER?

AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM

THAT WE HAD NEVER HANDLED
WRITERS AS SUCH.

WE HANDLED ACTORS
AND PERSONALITIES.

WELL, WE ASKED HIM TO READ
SOMETHING THAT HE DID.

AND JACK AND I
THOUGHT HE WAS HILARIOUS.

HE HAD NEVER PERFORMED
IN HIS LIFE.

AND BOTH OF US JUST JUMPED
AND SAID,

"DON'T LET THIS GUY
OUT OF THE OFFICE."

THE WRITING WAS FINE,
BUT HE WANTED ME TO BE A COMIC.

HE JUST FELT I COULD BE A COMIC.

WOODY NEVER DREAMED
OF BEING A COMIC.

HE WAS A WRITER.

AND IT WAS NOT EASY.

AND HE SAID TO ME,
AND I REMEMBER THIS SO CLEARLY,

HE SAID, "DO ME A FAVOR,
JUST TRUST ME.

"YOU JUST WORK
AND DON'T THINK ABOUT IT,

"AND LET ME THINK ABOUT IT.

"DO WHAT I TELL YOU.

AND LET'S LOOK UP IN A YEAR
AND SEE WHERE YOU ARE."

IF YOU TAKE MY ADVICE, I THINK
YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME

ONE OF THE GREAT BALLOON-FOLDING
ACTS OF ALL TIME,

REALLY, 'CAUSE I DON'T SEE YOU

JUST FOLDING THESE BALLOONS
IN JOINTS.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO...
YOU LISTEN TO ME,

YOU'RE GOING TO FOLD
THESE BALLOONS

AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.

YOU'RE GOING TO...
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE

YOUR SNAIL AND YOUR ELEPHANT
ON BROADWAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

BUT THE THING TO REMEMBER IS

BEFORE YOU GO OUT ON STAGE,

YOU GOT TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR,

YOU GOT TO SAY
YOUR THREE "S's"...

STAR, SMILE, STRONG.

STAR, SMILE, STRONG.

WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE POPULAR
COMEDIANS OF THE TIME,

MORT SAHL WAS COMPLETELY
INFLUENTIAL FOR WOODY.

Allen: HE WAS JUST AMAZING.

EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM
WAS DIFFERENT.

THE WAY HE DRESSED, THE WAY HE
SPOKE, HIS VOCABULARY,

AND THE REFERENCES
WERE ALL THE THINGS

THAT EVERYBODY WAS TRULY
INTERESTED IN...

ARTISTIC THINGS AND POLITICS

AND THE FLOURISHING
OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AT THE TIME,

AND EVERYTHING WAS SO FRESH
AND BRILLIANT.

Sahl: OH, RICHARD NIXON'S TRIP
TO RUSSIA.

HE'S GOING TO RUSSIA,
AND HE SAID

HE HOPES HE GETS ALONG
WITH THEM, AND SO...

ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, IF HE
DOESN'T GET ALONG WITH THEM,

HE'LL KIND OF BE IN TROUBLE,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T...

HE CAN'T CALL ANYBODY
A COMMUNIST

AND HURT THEIR CAREER
OVER THERE, YOU KNOW.

SAHL WAS THE LIGHT THAT GOES OFF
WITH AN IDEA FOR WOODY.

HE'D SAY, "OH, YOU KNOW, GEE.

"THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING
THAT I CAN DO.

"I CAN'T BE MORT SAHL, BUT I CAN
DO WHAT MORT SAHL DOES.

"I CAN ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE
IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN I'VE...

THAN I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE."

THE FIRST NIGHT
I EVER WORKED AS A COMIC

WAS AT THE BLUE ANGEL.

ONE DAY SOMEBODY SAID,
"THERE'S A KID APPEARING...

"THERE'S A LOT OF TALK
ABOUT HIM,

AT THE BLUE ANGEL
IN NEW YORK."

IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT CHIC OLD
NIGHT CLUBS OF NEW YORK FAME...

"AND WHY DON'T YOU GO
CHECK HIM OUT?"

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT,
AND I WENT TO THE BLUE ANGEL,

AND THIS SOMEWHAT GNOMISH MAN
CAME OUT, AND HE BEGAN TO TALK.

AND I REALIZED AS LINE AFTER
LINE AFTER LINE WENT BY,

"EACH OF THESE IS BETTER

THAN ANY LINE ANY COMIC
IN THE BUSINESS HAS."

AND THE AUDIENCE BEGAN TO TALK
AMONG THEMSELVES.

THAT'S HOW IT WAS, AND THERE WAS
A COMEDIAN ON STAGE.

I WANTED TO KILL THEM.

HE WAS SO SHY.

HE WAS SO UNUSED TO BEING
IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE

THAT HE WOULD TIE THE MIC CORD
AROUND HIS NECK.

HE WOULD FRIGHTEN PEOPLE.

THEY THOUGHT
HE WOULD CHOKE HIMSELF.

HE WAS A NON-PERFORMER.

Joffe: HE COULD HARDLY TALK
TO PEOPLE,

NEVER MIND PERFORM FOR THEM.

AND SOME NIGHTS
HE WAS GOD-AWFUL,

BUT OTHER NIGHTS HE WAS
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

Allen: I MUST PAUSE
FOR ONE FAST SECOND

AND SAY A FAST WORD
ABOUT ORAL CONTRACEPTION.

I WAS INVOLVED
IN AN EXTREMELY GOOD EXAMPLE

OF ORAL CONTRACEPTION
TWO WEEKS AGO.

I ASKED A GIRL TO GO BED
WITH ME, AND SHE SAID, "NO."

IF YOU'RE A JOKE MAKER,
IT'S HARD NOT TO MAKE JOKES.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

LIKE, I'M ALWAYS AMAZED
WHEN I SEE SOMEBODY

THAT CAN DRAW A HORSE.

I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN
POSSIBLY DO IT,

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY
REPRODUCE THE HORSE

WITH A PENCIL AND PAPER,
AND IT'S TERRIFIC.

NOW, I CAN'T DRAW A HORSE
OR ANYTHING ELSE,

BUT I CAN WRITE JOKES,

AND IT'S HARD NOT TO WRITE THEM.

I MEAN, IF I WALK DOWN
THE STREET, IT'S ALMOST...

IT'S LIKE MY NORMAL
CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, IT JUST COMES OUT
THAT WAY.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I PLAYED THE BLUE ANGEL
AND PLAYED SOME PLACES,

AND THEN SOMEONE TOLD ME
ABOUT THIS PLACE

CALLED THE BITTER END
ON BLEECKER STREET.

I OPENED THE BITTER END
IN 1961.

IT WAS LOCATED
ON BLEECKER STREET

NEAR WEST BROADWAY.

THE UPTOWN CLUBS WERE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

IN THE VILLAGE, THERE WAS JUST
COFFEE SHOP KINDS OF PLACES,

AND THE ACTS THAT WERE STARTING
TO HAPPEN WERE THE FOLK ACTS.

PETER, PAUL AND MARY, OF COURSE,
BROKE IT WIDE OPEN.

THE VILLAGE IN THE '60s
WAS THE TIME

WHEN SORT OF EVERYTHING
WAS HAPPENING.

IT WAS A TIME WHEN THE BEATS
WERE VERY POPLAR.

THE PILL CAME ALONG.

THE MIXING OF THE RACES
WAS STARTING THERE,

AND KENNEDY WAS ELECTED.

AND THE VILLAGE WAS SPARKED LIKE
IT HADN'T BEEN SINCE THE 1920s.

AND SOME NIGHTS
THEY'D PLAY MY CLUB

AND RUN DOWN OVER
TO ANOTHER CLUB.

THERE WERE FOUR OR FIVE
DIFFERENT ONES.

YOU DIDN'T GET PAID,
BUT YOU HAD A PLACE TO WORK.

AND I WOULD GO DOWN THERE EVERY
NIGHT WITH JACK AND DO MY ACT.

JACK SAYS,
"WAIT TILL YOU SEE HIM,"

AND HE WENT ON, AND HE DIDN'T
MAKE IT AT ALL.

NOBODY UNDERSTOOD.
THEY DIDN'T GET IT.

AND THEN JACK CAME OVER,
AND HE SAID,

"SEE?
HE'S AN INDUSTRY!"

THAT WAS THE FIRST THREE WORDS
JACK SAID

WHEN HE CAME OFF THE STAGE.

"HE'S AN INDUSTRY."

Rollins: PRETTY SOON,
IT BECAME APPARENT

THAT HE WAS A COMPLETELY UNIQUE

NEW FACE AND A VOICE
ON THE SCENE.

FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE,
I HAD WHAT YOU WOULD CALL

A BAD BASIC ATTITUDE
TOWARD MY WIFE.

I TENDED TO PLACE MY WIFE
UNDERNEATH A PEDESTAL

ALL THE TIME.

AND WE USED TO ARGUE AND FIGHT,

AND WE FINALLY DECIDED
THAT WE WOULD EITHER

TAKE A VACATION IN BERMUDA
OR GET A DIVORCE,

ONE OF THE TWO THINGS.

AND WE DISCUSSED IT
VERY MATURELY,

AND WE DECIDED FINALLY
ON THE DIVORCE,

'CAUSE WE FELT THAT WE HAD
A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY

TO SPEND ON SOMETHING,
AND THAT A VACATION IN BERMUDA

IS OVER IN TWO WEEKS, YOU KNOW,

BUT A DIVORCE IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU ALWAYS HAVE, YOU KNOW, SO...

BUT IT TURNS OUT,
IN NEW YORK STATE,

THEY HAVE A VERY FUNNY LAW

THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T GET
A DIVORCE

UNLESS YOU CAN
PROVE ADULTERY.

AND THAT'S VERY STRANGE, BECAUSE
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SAY,

"THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY."

BUT NEW YORK STATE
SAYS YOU HAVE TO.

I SAID, "IT IS HARD FOR YOU?"

HE SAID HE WAS SUFFERING
DOING THIS ACT.

HE WAS NOT A PERFORMER, REALLY.

HE VOMITED A FEW TIMES, HE SAID,

WITHOUT ANY TRACE OF HUMOR
IN DELIVERING THAT LINE,

THAT IT REALLY WAS HARD.

Rollins: CHARLIE AND I
WOULD HAVE TO LITERALLY

SHOVE HIM ONTO THE STAGE

TO DO HIS LITTLE ACT.

I KEPT SAYING, "I'M NOT FUNNY.

"I'M NOT A COMIC.

"I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T DO THIS.

"I HATE IT.
I DON'T LIKE THE HOURS.

"I'M SHY,
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE

STANDING
IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE."

I MEAN, THERE WAS NOTHING
ABOUT IT I LIKED.

I MEAN, I KEPT SAYING,

"I WANT TO QUIT.
I WANT TO QUIT."

AND JACK SAID, "GIVE IT A LITTLE
TIME, A LITTLE TIME."

I THINK HIS COMMON SENSE TOLD
HIM THAT IF HE BREAKS THROUGH

ON THE LEVEL OF THE PERFORMER,

IT WILL BE A USEFUL
THING FOR HIM.

AND THEN ONE NIGHT, HE JUST
BOUNDED UP ON THE STAGE,

AND IT WAS WOODY.

HE TOLD THE SAME JOKES,
AND THEY WORKED.

AND THE AUDIENCE
REALLY LIKED IT.

THE TELEPHONE COMPANY
HAS THIS SERVICE

FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED TYPES
CALLED DIAL-A-PRAYER.

THEY HAVE A NUMBER THAT YOU DIAL
IF YOU ARE AN ATHEIST,

AND YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING
ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.

WHEN WOODY WAS THERE
ABOUT FOUR OR SIX WEEKS,

THERE WAS AN ARTICLE
IN THE TIMES SAYING,

"YOU GOTTA COME DOWN
TO THE BITTER END.

"YOU GOTTA SEE
THIS NEW PERFORMER.

HE'S GREAT."

AND HE RAVED ABOUT HIM.

IT WAS THE FIRST GREAT REVIEW

THAT WOODY GOT
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES.

I WAS REAL EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THERE WERE LINES
OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

THAT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO McDOUGAL STREET.

NEWSPAPERS STARTED TO BECOME
INTERESTED IN ME

AND SEND REPORTERS DOWN
TO DO STORIES,

AND OTHER NIGHTCLUB OWNERS
WOULD COME AND WATCH

AND BOOK ME FOR PLACES,

AND TELEVISION PEOPLE
WOULD COME DOWN

AND BOOK ME ON THE TV SHOWS.

I WAS KIDNAPPED ONCE.

LISTEN TO THIS STORY.

I WAS STANDING BY MY SCHOOLYARD,

AND A BLACK SEDAN PULLED UP,
AND TWO GUYS GOT OUT,

AND THEY ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO
GO AWAY WITH THEM

TO A LAND WHERE EVERYBODY WAS
FAIRIES AND ELVES AND...

I COULD HAVE ALL THE COMIC BOOKS
I WANTED

AND TOOTSIE ROLLS
AND CHOCOLATE BUTTONS

AND WAX LIPS,
YOU KNOW AND...

I SAID YES.

I GOT INTO THEIR CAR WITH THEM,

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE... I FIGURED,
"WHAT THE HECK?"

YOU KNOW, I WAS HOME THAT
WEEKEND FROM COLLEGE ANYHOW.

Rollins: HE HAD A HEAVY
TELEVISION EXPOSURE,

AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS WHAT
BUILDS NATIONAL FIGURES.

Allen: IN TERMS OF THOSE JOBS,
NOTHING WAS BENEATH ME.

I BOXED A KANGAROO.

I SANG "LITTLE SIR ECHO"
WITH A TALKING DOG.

♪ LITTLE SIR ECHO,
HOW DO YOU DO? ♪

♪ HELLO ♪

♪ HELL... HELLO ♪

HE SANG IN REHEARSAL.

Allen: THIS WAS PART
OF JACK ROLLINS' GAME PLAN,

'CAUSE JACK'S THEORY WAS

TO SATURATE THE COUNTRY WITH ME
AS MUCH AS HE COULD

SO... SO I WOULD BE
A HOUSEHOLD NAME.

ONCE HE WAS ON A PRIME TIME SHOW
STARING PERRY COMO,

AND IT WAS
A BIG PRODUCTION NUMBER,

AND AS THE SCENE OPENED, "WOODY"
WAS SPELLED IN 15-FOOT LETTERS

IN THE BACKGROUND, BACKLIGHTED,

AND HE CAME ON IN TAILS
AND TWIRLING A CANE AND TOP HAT.

AND I REMEMBER HIS SAYING,

"I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE
A HEART ATTACK BACKSTAGE

BEFORE GOING ON."

♪ NOW HERE YOU CERTAINLY ARE ♪

♪ YES, NOW WHEN I DASH
ALONG THE BOULEVARD ♪

Allen: AND I REMEMBER
THE COLUMNIST JACK O'BRIAN,

WHO WAS A HUGE, HUGE SUPPORTER
OF MINE,

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE
ALWAYS USE SUPERLATIVES

"WHEN WE WRITE ABOUT WOODY.

"AND I'VE GOT TO SAY
HE IS THE WORST SINGER

THAT I'VE EVER HEARD
IN MY LIFE."

AND I'M SURE I WAS, BECAUSE...
BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER.

THIS WAS ALL PART
OF WHAT JACK WANTED.

HE WANTED ME TO SEEP
INTO THE PORES OF THE MULTITUDE.

AND HE DID THAT FOR A FEW YEARS

AND WAS MAKING GOOD SUCCESS
AT IT,

AND HE BECAME VERY POPULAR
ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW."

JOHNNY CARSON LOVED HIM.

HE PERFORMED ON THERE
MANY TIMES,

WAS THE GUEST HOST
ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS,

AND THEN ALSO BEGAN APPEARING
WITH DICK CAVETT

ON HIS SHOW ON ABC.

AND WHAT'S WONDERFUL ABOUT THOSE
SHOWS WAS

YOU COULD SEE THAT THE TWO OF
THEM KNEW AND LIKED EACH OTHER

AND REALLY ENJOYED PLAYING OFF
THE OTHER.

Cavett: I WOULD ALWAYS GRIN

WHEN I COULD LOOK
AND SEE HIM IN THE WINGS

ABOUT TO COME OUT,
'CAUSE I KNEW

WE WERE
GOING TO HAVE FUN.

AND HE DID SEEM TO ENJOY DOING
THE SHOW.

ALL RIGHT.

Cavett: WOODY'S IMPROV SKILL
DESERVES TO BE LEGENDARY.

AND ON THE AIR I WOULD THROW
SOMETHING AT WOODY

AND DARE HIM TO GIVE EXAMPLES
OF SOMETHING,

AND HE WOULD INSTANTLY GO INTO
SOMETHING THAT RANKED

WITH THE VERY BEST OF

SECOND CITY'S VAUNTED
IMPROVISERS.

THE IN...
THE BRITISH IN INDIA

INVENTED THE GAME
CALLED POONA.

AH, I'VE PLAYED IT.

Cavett: WELL, THEN GOOD,
BECAUSE THE QUESTION IS,

IS THE GAME STILL PLAYED?
AND IF SO, HOW?

UM, IT REQUIRES TWO CONSENTING
ADULTS TO PLAY THE GAME.

AND ONE IS THE POONER,
AND ONE IS THE POONEE.

Cavett:
I DON'T KNOW

IF WE NEED TO GO ON
WITH THIS OR NOT.

YOU SPIN A DIAL,

AND YOU CAN ADVANCE
TWO SQUARES IF YOU LIKE,

AND YOU HAVE TO YELL OUT,
"POONEE! POONEE!"

AND THEN THEY GIVE YOU
PAPER MONEY,

OR "SCRIPT," AS IT'S CALLED.

AND THEN YOU SMEAR BUTTER ON
THE PERSON YOU'RE PLAYING WITH

AND RECITE THE WORD "NUTMEG"
SEVEN TIMES.

Cavett:
THAT'S UNCANNY.

YES. FIRST ONE TO REACH THE...
THE POONATORIUM IS THE WINNER.

Cavett:
IT WAS JUST BRILLIANT,

AND HE COULD DO THAT
ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

Man: WHO WAS THE FIRST
MOVIE STAR THAT YOU MET?

CAN YOU REMEMBER?

UH, YES.

I MET TRIGGER,

WHO WAS ROY ROGERS' HORSE,
AT A PARTY.

ACTUALLY, I PICKED HIM UP
AT A PARTY,

AND WE HAD AN ONGOING
RELATIONSHIP

FOR TWO YEARS AFTER THAT,

WHICH I'M VERY PROUD OF.

Man: DID YOU EVER MEET
ROY ROGERS AT THAT TIME?

NO, I HAD NO INTEREST
IN MEETING ROY ROGERS.

BUT I LOVED LIVING
WITH HIS HORSE.

Man:
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SMELL?

HE DIDN'T MIND
THAT SO MUCH.

THERE WAS ONE TIME

I HAD A SHOW
THAT WAS MOSTLY WOODY,

AND THEN THE GREAT RUTH GORDON
CAME OUT, IN HER 70s.

AND AS A SURPRISE,
GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA APPEARED,

LOOKING GLAMOROUS.

DO YOU KNOW
MR. ALLEN?
HE'S VERY FUNNY.

THANK YOU.
I WAS JUST FIGURING OUT...

I WAS JUST SITTING HERE
TRYING TO FIGURE WHICH...

HOW WE GOING TO
SPLIT 'EM UP,

YOU KNOW...
WHO GETS WHICH ONE?

HOW WOODY GOT INTO THE MOVIES
WAS, WHEN HE WAS PLAYING

THE BLUE ANGEL, WE HAD A LOT
STARS COME IN TO SEE HIM.

SHIRLEY MacLAINE BROUGHT IN
A FRIEND OF HERS,

CHARLES K. FELDMAN,

WHO WAS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME

HOLLYWOOD MOTION PICTURE
PRODUCERS.

SO THE GREAT CHARLES K. FELDMAN

WAS VERY TAKEN
WITH WOODY'S WORK,

YOU KNOW, WISELY.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW,
MONDAY MORNING,

THEY OFFERED ME $20,000 TO WRITE

THE SCRIPT
OF "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?"

I WROTE IT AND WROTE A SMALL
PART FOR MYSELF IN IT.

Rollins: THAT WAS
HIS FIRST ENTRANCE

INTO MOTION PICTURE WORLD.

YEAH.

ABSINTHE.
COFFEE.

MINERAL WATER.

DID YOU FIND A JOB?

YEAH, I GOT SOMETHING
AT THE STRIPTEASE.

I HELP THE GIRLS DRESS
AND UNDRESS.

NICE JOB.

20 FRANCS A WEEK.

NOT VERY MUCH.

IT'S ALL I CAN AFFORD.

THEY HIRED A VERY LOVELY
DIRECTOR, CLIVE DONNER,

A VERY NICE MAN
AND GOOD DIRECTOR, TO DO IT,

BUT THE STUDIO
WOULD NOT LEAVE HIM ALONE.

THEY HAD THEIR HAND
IN EVERY PIE,

AND SO THEY WERE TAKING
MY SCRIPT AND MANGLING IT.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WOODY
SHINES THROUGH,

BUT HIS WORK, WHICH HAD ALWAYS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL,

WAS SUDDENLY IN THE HANDS
OF SOMEONE ELSE.

HE HAD NO LEVERAGE WHATSOEVER
IN WHAT WENT ON.

AND HE FOUND THAT THE SCRIPT
THAT HE HAD PRESENTED

HAD TURNED INTO THIS ANTIC FARCE
THAT WAS JUST REALLY

THE ANTITHESIS
OF WOODY'S COMEDY.

I HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT
IF I COULD'VE DIRECTED THAT,

YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN

A MUCH, MUCH, MUCH FUNNIER
PICTURE

BUT MADE MUCH LESS MONEY.

THE FILM WAS SO FINANCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL

THAT I THINK IT WAS
THE GREATEST,

BIGGEST-GROSSING COMEDY
TO THAT DATE.

IT WAS A BORING PICTURE,
AS I RECALL.

Man:
I RATHER ENJOYED IT.

YES, BUT YOU'RE MISTAKEN.

CHARLIE JOFFE KEPT SAYING,

"YOU KNOW, SETTLE DOWN,
SETTLE DOWN.

"YOU'RE ACTING IN A MOVIE,

"YOU'RE GETTING YOUR CREDIT
ON THIS,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO GO FORWARD FROM THIS."

Joffe: I KNEW WOODY
WAS GOING TO CONTINUE

TO MAKE FILMS
AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND I KNEW IT WAS NOT
GOING TO BE FOR CHARLES FELDMAN.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T EVEN GO
SEE IT.

I JUST WAS SO ANGRY
AT THE WHOLE THING,

VOWED NEVER TO WORK
IN MOVIES AGAIN

UNLESS I COULD BE THE DIRECTOR.

AND HAVE CONTROL,
NOT JUST THE DIRECTOR.

AND THE GREAT LESSON THAT CAME
OUT OF THAT

WAS THE SENSE OF,
NOBODY WAS EVER

GOING TO MESS WITH HIS STUFF
AGAIN.

THE NEXT THING I DID WAS,

I WROTE A SCRIPT WITH
MY SCHOOL FRIEND, MICKEY ROSE.

FOR "TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN."

THE ONLY WAY I WANTED TO GET IT
ON WAS ME DIRECTING THAT.

AT THAT TIME, I KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT PRODUCING,

SO I WANTED TO LEARN TO DO IT
SO WE COULD CONTROL IT.

KEEP THE CONTROL AS CLOSE TO US
AS WE COULD.

AND JACK WAS INSTRUMENTAL
IN MAKING A DEAL FOR HIM

AFTER THAT, WHERE HE DIDN'T
SPEND A LOT OF MONEY,

BUT HE HAD CONTROL OF THE FILM.

Rollins: WE SOLD 'EM THE IDEA
THAT IF YOU WANT WOODY,

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK
WITH HIM,

WHICH IS, LEAVE HIM ALONE.

HE'S DOING THE MOVIE,
AND HE'S DOING IT HIS WAY,

AND NOBODY IS
GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS,

AND NOBODY IS GOING TO INTERFERE
WITH HIM

AND GET HIM TRIPPED UP
IN ANY WAY.

HE WANTS NO CONTACT
WITH ANYBODY.

THAT'S WHAT WE GOT
IN OUR CONTRACT.

HE WAS GOING THE NEXT DAY
TO DIRECT HIS VERY FIRST THING,

AND HE WAS NERVOUS ABOUT IT.

AND I WALK INTO THE BEDROOM,
AND HE'S SITTING ON THE BED,

YOU KNOW, WITH LEGS UP,
HOW YOU SIT ON THE BED AND READ?

AND ON THE FRONT OF THE BOOK
IT SAYS, "HOW TO DIRECT."

I DIDN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING
ABOUT FILMMAKING OR...

NOT THE FIRST THING.

I KNEW THIS, THOUGH,

THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE

A PSEUDO-DOCUMENTARY IN STYLE.

SO I HAD A STRUCTURE TO HANG ON
TO RIGHT FROM THE START.

Narrator: VIRGIL STEALS
TO PAY FOR CELLO LESSONS.

AND ALTHOUGH HE DOES NOT ACHIEVE
GREATNESS ON THE INSTRUMENT,

HE IS SOON GOOD ENOUGH
TO PLAY IN A LOCAL BAND.

David: "TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN,"

I SAW WHEN I WAS IN THE ARMY.

IT WAS PLAYING ON THE BASE.

AND, OF COURSE, I HAD JUST BEEN
THROUGH LIKE THE WORST HELL

I'D EVER BEEN THROUGH
IN MY LIFE.

LIKE SIX, I CAN'T EVEN...

LIKE, THEY WERE FIRING BULLETS
OVER MY HEAD,

I WAS CRAWLING ON THE GROUND,
I WAS IN BASIC TRAINING.

SO, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WE GET THIS BREAK

THAT WE CAN GO TO THE MOVIES.

YOU KNOW, AFTER BEING
IN THE ARMY

AND GOING TO SEE THAT MOVIE,

IT WAS THE MOST EXHILARATING,

AMAZING EXPERIENCE
TO JUST BE ABLE

TO SIT THERE
AND LAUGH LIKE THAT

AFTER THE HELL
THAT I'D BEEN THROUGH.

AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT,
"OH, BOY."

AND I THOUGHT, "BOY, I GOT
A CONNECTION TO THIS GUY."

WHAT DOES THIS SAY?

AHEM...
CAN'T YOU READ THAT?

I CAN'T READ THIS.

WHAT'S THIS?

"ACT NATURAL"?

NO, IT SAYS,

"PLEASE PUT $50,000
INTO THIS BAG

AND ACT NATURAL."

Man:
IT DOES SAY "ACT NATURAL."

"I AM POINTING A GUN AT YOU."

THAT LOOKS LIKE "GUB."

THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE "GUN."

NO, IT'S "GUN."

NO, THAT'S "GUB."

THAT'S A "B."

NO.
SEE, THAT'S AN "N."

IT'S G-U-N.

IT'S "GUN."

GEORGE, WOULD YOU

STEP OVER HERE A MOMENT,
PLEASE?

WHAT DOES THIS SAY?

"PLEASE PUT $50,000

INTO THIS BAG
AND 'ABT' NATURAL."

WHAT'S "ABT"?

IT'S "ACT."

DOES THIS... DOES THIS LOOK
LIKE "GUB" OR "GUN"?

"GUN."

SEE?

BUT WHAT'S "ABT" MEAN?

IT'S "ACT," A-C-T.

"ACT NATURAL."

PLEASE PUT $50,000
INTO THIS BAG.

ACT NATURAL.

OH, I SEE.

THIS IS A HOLDUP?
YES.

MAY I SEE YOUR GUN?

OH.

WELL, YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE
THIS NOTE

INITIALED BY
ONE OF OUR VICE PRESIDENTS

BEFORE I CAN GIVE YOU ANY MONEY.

Maltin:
"TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN"

WAS FINANCED
BY PALOMAR PICTURES,

WHICH WAS A DIVISION
OF THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK.

AND WHEN IT WAS FINISHED,
THE EXECUTIVES LOOKED AT IT

AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE
OF THE FILM.

AND WOODY SAID
THAT WHEN HE WAS SCREENING

"TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN"
FOR THE EXECUTIVES

THAT AFTER 10 MINUTES
OF THE FIRST REEL,

ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES
LEANED TO HIM

AND SAID,
"IS THE REST LIKE THIS?"

WHEN WE SHOWED IT TO PALOMAR,

THEY SUGGESTED BRINGING IN
RALPH ROSENBLUM TO HELP ME.

RALPH WAS A WONDERFUL EDITOR.

AND HE CAME IN AND SAW IT

AND LOOKED AT ALL THE STUFF
I HAD TAKEN OUT

AND SAID, "YOU GOTTA PUT
ALL THAT STUFF BACK.

ALL THAT STUFF IS FUNNY.
WHY DID YOU TAKE IT OUT?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW."

HE SAID, "YOU CAN'T GO, YOU
GOTTA GIVE IT A FIGHTING CHANCE.

"PUT IT IN, PUT A PIECE OF MUSIC
BEHIND IT.

SHOW IT TO AN AUDIENCE
OF PEOPLE."

SO WE DID, AND RALPH WAS RIGHT.

AND THE PICTURE
PLAYED VERY WELL.

AND IT OPENED AND WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

AND THE FILM LAUNCHED MY CAREER.

SO FROM MY FIRST MOVIE ON,
"TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN,"

WHEN I CERTAINLY
HAD DONE NOTHING

TO EARN COMPLETE CONTROL,
NOTHING,

I HAD COMPLETE CONTROL,

AND HAVE NEVER DONE A MOVIE
IN MY LIFE

WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE
COMPLETE CONTROL OF IT.

WHEN WOODY SET HIS SIGHTS
ON PLAY WRITING,

HE ENJOYED GREAT SUCCESS WITH
HIS VERY FIRST STAGE COMEDY,

CALLED "DON'T DRINK THE WATER,"
ON BROADWAY,

STARRING LOU JACOBI,
WHO LATER TURNED UP

IN SOME OF HIS FILMS.

IT HAD A GOOD RUN.

AND IN IT, PLAYING
THE YOUNG ROMANTIC LEAD,

WAS AN ACTOR NAMED TONY ROBERTS
WHOM WOODY BEFRIENDED

AND ALSO CAST IN HIS NEXT PLAY,

WHICH WAS "PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM,"
IN WHICH WOODY STARRED.

♪ YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS ♪

Allen: IT WAS A LITTLE

STAGE PLAY THAT...
THAT I WROTE MANY YEARS AGO,

MOSTLY TO GIVE MYSELF
AN OPPORTUNITY

TO APPEAR ON STAGE.

THE FACT THAT THEY ASKED ME

TO PLAY THE MOVIE
A COUPLE YEARS LATER,

THAT WAS FINE AND A NICE
OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.

I WAS VERY FORTUNATE

THAT HERB ROSS DIRECTED IT

AND DID A VERY GOOD JOB ON IT.

I'M 29.

THE HEIGHT OF MY SEXUAL POTENCY
WAS TEN YEARS AGO.

OH, ALLEN,

LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE.

YOU'RE FREE.

YOU'LL GO OUT.
THERE'LL BE GIRLS.

YOU'LL GO TO PARTIES AND HAVE
AFFAIRS WITH MARRIED WOMEN,

SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH GIRLS
OF EVERY RACE, CREED AND COLOR.

OH, YOU GET TIRED OF THAT.

BECAUSE WE WERE ACTING TOGETHER
IN THE PLAY,

WE BONDED, AND WE GOT TO BE
FRIENDS AND BECAME CLOSE.

AND OF COURSE, KEATON
WAS A LARGE PART OF THAT.

♪ THIS IS THE DAWNING
OF THE AGE OF AQUARIUS ♪

Roberts: DIANE HAD BEEN
IN "HAIR"

RIGHT BEFORE WE STARTED
REHEARSALS

FOR "PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM."

AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED
WITH THAT.

I REMEMBER THAT DIANE
WAS THE ONLY ONE

WHO WOULDN'T TAKE OFF
HER CLOTHES.

I WAS SENT UP FOR
"PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM,"

AND I AUDITIONED, ALONG WITH A
LOT OF YOUNG NEW YORK ACTRESSES.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID, I READ.

AND I GOT THE PART.

AT THE TIME, THEY WERE CONCERNED

BECAUSE I MIGHT BE TOO TALL
FOR WOODY.

SO I GOT UP ON STAGE AND WE DID
THAT BACK-TO-BACK THING

THAT KIDS DO AT BIRTHDAY
PARTIES,

AND WE WERE
JUST ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT.

AND WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER
OF OTHER WOMEN DURING THE WEEK,

BUT KEATON WAS IN A CLASS
BY HERSELF.

Keaton: WHAT I REMEMBER
ABOUT WOODY

WAS THAT HE WAS SHORT,
AND HE WAS CUTE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBERED
ABOUT WOODY ON THAT DAY,

WAS JUST THAT,
"OH, MY GOD, HE IS..."

I... YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD
A BIG CRUSH, INSTANTLY.

Roberts: THE THREE OF US

HAD A GOOD TIME TOGETHER.

WE GOT ALONG VERY WELL.

WE HAD A LOT OF FUN.

ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I ALWAYS REMEMBER

IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
WOODY SEEMED TO HAVE

NO DISCIPLINE ONSTAGE.

AND HE WOULD SOMETIMES DO HIS
IMPRESSION OF JAMES EARL JONES

WHILE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING IT DURING A MATINEE,

AND I WOULD CRACK UP
AND DESTROY THE SCENE.

THAT WAS ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN,

AND WE WOULD HANG OUT
AND EAT DINNER TOGETHER,

AND THAT'S HOW I REALLY
GOT TO KNOW HIM.

MY GAME PLAN WAS REALLY
TO FORCE WOODY TO LIKE ME.

SO I WAS ALWAYS PLOTTING AND
SCHEMING ABOUT HOW HE COULD GROW

TO SEE ME
AS AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN.

I WAS ALWAYS DIRECTING
MY ATTENTIONS

TO, "HOW CAN I MAKE HIM
LIKE ME MORE?"

NOW, TELL HER SHE HAS
THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE EYES

YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

YOU HAVE THE MOST EYES

I'VE EVER SEEN ON ANY PERSON.

ALLEN, YOUR HAND
IS TREMBLING.

"THAT'S BECAUSE
YOU'RE NEAR."

PARDON ME?

TELL HER THAT.

THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE NEAR.

OH, YOU REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO SAY, DON'T YOU?

NOW, TELL HER THAT YOU'VE
MET A LOT OF DAMES,

BUT SHE IS REALLY
SOMETHING SPECIAL.

OH, THAT,
SHE WON'T BELIEVE.

OH, NO?

I HAVE MET A LOT OF DAMES,

BUT YOU ARE REALLY
SOMETHING SPECIAL.

REALLY?

SHE BOUGHT IT.

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE WAS CRAZY
ABOUT HER, ON ALL LEVELS.

YOU COULD SEE THAT HAPPENING,
ABSOLUTELY,

ESPECIALLY WHEN I STOPPED
BEING ASKED TO DINNER.

SHE WAS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL
AND INCREDIBLY GIFTED.

WE WENT OUT TOGETHER, AND WE
LIVED TOGETHER FOR A WHILE.

SHE'S REMAINED A VERY CLOSE
FRIEND OF MINE TO THIS DAY.

I WORKED IT, YOU KNOW.

I REALLY WORKED TRYING TO GET
HIM TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ME.

HE DIDN'T QUITE
FALL IN LOVE WITH ME,

BUT I WAS AROUND A LOT.

AND WE MADE A GOOD TEAM.

WE WERE A GOOD TEAM.

DAVID PICKER WAS PRESIDENT,

ARTHUR KRIM, CHAIRMAN OF
THE BOARD OF UNITED ARTISTS.

AND THIS MAN CAME
AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF.

IT WAS DAVID PICKER.

AND HE SAID, "I WANT WOODY TO
MAKE PICTURES FOR MY COMPANY."

I SAID, "GREAT."

HE SAID, "WHAT WILL IT TAKE?"

I SAID, "PUT $2 MILLION
IN A PAPER BAG,

GIVE IT TO US AND GO AWAY,
AND WE'LL BRING YOU A PICTURE."

AND I SAID,
"AND DO THAT THREE TIMES."

AND HE SAID, "YOU GOT A DEAL."

AND IT WAS THAT SIMPLE.

COME BACK, BACK, BACK.

MORE, MORE, MORE.
BACK, BACK.

I PLAY A CHARACTER WHO LIVES
IN NEW YORK

WHO WORKS AS A TESTER
OF PRODUCTS.

I TEST NEW PRODUCTS TO SEE
IF THEY'RE SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.

Man: WE CAN SHOW YOU
HOW YOU TURN IT OUT.

WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW YOU
CAN SAVE MONEY...

OH, BOY, I'D LIKE
TO DO THAT OVER.

I GO TO A LATIN AMERICAN
COUNTRY,

AND THROUGH A CIRCUITOUS
SERIES OF EVENTS,

I BECOME THE LEADER OF THAT
COUNTRY DURING A REVOLUTION.

Allen: AND COME BACK
TO THE UNITED STATES,

BEARDED AND WELL-TANNED
AND EBULLIENT,

AND I GET INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE

WITH THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
AS A RESULT.

I AM MR. HERNANDEZ,
THE OFFICIAL INTERPRETER.

WELCOME TO
THE UNITED STATES.

WELCOME TO UNITED STATES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DID YOU HAVE
A GOOD FLIGHT?

DID YOU HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT?

YES, I DID.

YES, I DID.

WOODY'S LOVE INTEREST
IN "BANANAS"

WAS HIS SECOND EX-WIFE,
LOUISE LASSER...

A VERY FUNNY WOMAN.

THEY WERE MARRIED
ON GROUNDHOG'S DAY IN 1966,

BUT BY THE TIME THEY GOT
TO MAKING THE MOVIE,

THEY WERE STILL FRIENDS,

BUT THEY HAD BEEN DIVORCED
FOR SOME TIME.

FOR ME, LOUISE WAS SOMETHING
THAT STEPPED OUT OF A FANTASY.

HI.

Allen: SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL
YOUNG GIRL, VERY GIFTED.

IT WAS JUST OVERWHELMING TO ME.

SHE WAS SUCH
A CAPTIVATING FIGURE.

SHE WAS VERY FUNNY.

SHE HAD A NICE LAUGH.

SHE WAS PRETTY, SEXY,

AND SHE, YOU KNOW, WAS PERFECT.

YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST SAYING
TO SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY

THAT THE SCANDINAVIANS
SEEM TO HAVE

SUCH AN INSTINCTIVE FEEL
FOR THE HUMAN CONDITION.

IT'S VERY WISE, YOU KNOW.

THAT'S... I THINK, PITHY.

OH, WELL, IT WAS PITHY.

IT HAD GREAT PITH.

YETH.

PITH.

PITH.

Lasser: I REMEMBER

I HAD PERIODS OF TIME
WHERE I COULDN'T SLEEP.

AND I WOULD GET, LIKE,
REALLY BORED.

I WOULD GO CRAZY,
AND HE WOULD JUST SLEEP.

AND I WOULD THINK,
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.

"HERE, I'M WITH AMERICA'S
FOREMOST HUMORIST,

AND I CAN'T SLEEP,
AND I'M BORED," LIKE THAT.

AND I WOULD JUST NUDGE HIM
AND GO, YOU KNOW,

"WOODY, WOODY, WAKE UP,
I'M BORED.

SAY SOMETHING FUNNY."

WE NEVER WORKED TOGETHER
WHILE WE WERE MARRIED,

BECAUSE WE FELT THAT IT WOULD
RUIN THE MARRIAGE.

SO, NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN
DIVORCED FOR A YEAR,

WE FELT THAT WE
COULD WORK TOGETHER,

AND, OF COURSE,
I GOT HER MUCH CHEAPER.

I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU.

OH, SAY IT IN FRENCH.

OH, PLEASE, SAY IT IN FRENCH.

I DON'T KNOW FRENCH.

OH, PLEASE?
PLEASE?

WHAT ABOUT HEBREW?

OH.

IF I HAD TO PICK, PERSONALLY,
THE FUNNIEST ONE,

I WOULD PICK "BANANAS."

Man: READY, AIM, FIRE.

OH, LET'S SEE.

21.
WHO HAS 21?

Man: READY, AIM, FIRE.

IN DECEMBER, I'M GOING TO GO
INTO PRODUCTION

WITH A FILM THAT I WROTE

BASED ON DR. REUBEN'S BOOK,

"EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO
KNOW ABOUT SEX,

BUT WE'RE AFRAID TO ASK."

I'VE WRITTEN A SCRIPT
THAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED

AS RABELAISIAN AND...

Cavett: WHAT WOULD BE
ANOTHER WORD FOR IT?

UH, TRASHY.

IT'S AN EXPLORATION
OF THE INS

AND OUTS,
EVERY LITTLE NOOK

AND CRANNY OF OUR
SEXUAL MOTIVATIONS

AND INTERESTS,
AND GRAPHICALLY ILLUSTRATED.

IT WOULD BE SEXUAL RELATIONS

IF THE MARX BROTHERS
WERE DOING THEM.

HEY! WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE BABIES!

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

I'M NOT GOING OUT THERE!

I'M NOT GONNA GET
SHOT OUT OF THAT THING.

WHAT IF HE'S MASTURBATING?

I'M LIABLE TO WIND UP
ON THE CEILING.

NO.

Allen: BUT IN RETROSPECT,

I DON'T THINK
IT WAS A VERY GOOD IDEA,

AND WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN.

IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER,
WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN.

WOODY ALLEN WAS BUILDING
A FAN BASE AT THIS TIME

IN THE '70s,
BUT HE NEVER BECAME,

YOU KNOW, A HUGE
BOX OFFICE ATTRACTION.

BUT HE WAS CLEVER.

HE MADE HIS FILMS
ECONOMICALLY,

HE DIDN'T PAY HIMSELF
VERY MUCH AT ALL,

IF ANYTHING,
AND HE ADOPTED THE PHILOSOPHY

THAT IF HE MADE
THE FILMS ECONOMICALLY

AND THEY MADE EVEN ONE DOLLAR,

HE'D BE GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD
TO MAKE ANOTHER FILM.

YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT
EVERYONE'S TASTE,

AND NEVER WAS.

IT'S ONE THING TO BE APPRECIATED
DOWN IN THE VILLAGE

AT THE BITTER END
AND ANOTHER ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

MY WORKING WITH HIM
PROFESSIONALLY

IN BEING A PRODUCER,
IT STILL AMAZES ME LOTS OF TIMES

WHEN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HIM
OR KNOW HIS NAME,

BECAUSE TO ME HE WAS
ALWAYS MY BROTHER.

NO, I THINK SHE LOOKS GOOD
IN THE CLOTHES.

I THINK THIS IS...
THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

IT LOOKS NICE.

WHEN I WAS BORN,
WOODY WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS
A VERY DEVOTED BROTHER.

VERY... WE WERE
ALWAYS VERY CLOSE,

YOU KNOW, AND I IDOLIZED HIM.

Allen: SHE WAS JUST
A CUTE LITTLE BABY GIRL.

THERE WAS NO SENSE OF
COMPETITION OR ANYTHING.

SHE BECAME A VERY GOOD
FRIEND OF MINE

RIGHT AWAY AND I GOT ALONG
WITH HER SWIMMINGLY.

YOU WERE VERY GOOD TO LETTY.

YOU... WHEN SHE
WENT TO SCHOOL,

YOU USED TO TAKE HER TO
KINDERGARTEN AND BRING HER HOME.

THAT WAS YOUR BABY SISTER,
YOU ADORED HER.

Lasser: HE WOULD DO
A MAGIC ACT,

AND HE PUT HER IN
THE AUDIENCE AS HIS SHILL.

SHE WAS LIKE THREE YEARS OLD.

SO HE WOULD DO SOMETHING
AND SHE HAD TO SAY,

"LOOK AT HIS RIGHT HAND.
LOOK AT HIS RIGHT HAND."

'CAUSE IT WOULD BE THE LEFT,
RIGHT? LIKE THAT.

HE FELT THAT HE WANTED

TO EXPOSE HER TO GOOD THINGS

AND HE WOULD JUST
TAKE HER ALL AROUND.

I ALWAYS FOUND THAT
VERY TOUCHING.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

WE WERE IN THE SAME...
AT P.S. 99...

THE SAME SCHOOL A SHORT TIME

BECAUSE HE WAS EIGHT YEARS
OLDER THAN ME.

I USED TO... WE'D SNEAK OFF
AND PLAY HOOKY

WITH ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

WE USED GO TO THE MOVIES
IN MANHATTAN.

THAT WAS ONE OF MY
GREAT JOYS IN LIFE.

Aronson: I WAS AWARE OF
SOME OF HIS TRUANCY.

I KNEW BECAUSE I HAD BEEN
WARNED BY WOODY

THAT WHEN MRS. FLETCHER,
THE PRINCIPAL,

CAME TO THE CLASS AND WOULD SAY,

"LETTY KONIGSBERG,
IS YOUR MOTHER AT HOME?"

I WOULD KNOW TO SAY, "NO,
I'M SORRY, SHE'S NOT AT HOME."

Allen: I DON'T HAVE GOOD THINGS
TO SAY ABOUT SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW, I WAS
THE WORLD'S WORST STUDENT.

I HATED SCHOOL WITH A PASSION,
TO THIS DAY.

AND WHEN I THINK BACK ON IT,
IT WAS A CURSE.

WHEN I GOT OLDER,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOT TOUGHER.

A KID TRIED TO
RUN ME OVER IN HERE,

AND I WAS PLAYING BALL
AND HE DROVE HIS CAR

FAST RIGHT IN
AND TRIED TO HIT ME WITH IT.

AND THAT IRON THING WAS
NOT OVER THERE,

AND I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO
THAT LITTLE POCKET.

SO HE COULDN'T GET ME
WITH THE CAR,

BUT HE CAME REAL CLOSE.

Aronson: WOODY HAD
DISDAIN FOR SCHOOL.

THE TEACHERS WERE
NOT NICE IN THOSE DAYS.

THEY WERE VERY ANTI-SEMITIC.

THEY WERE ALMOST ALL GENTILES,
AND HE WASN'T YOUR BEST STUDENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, HE WAS
NOT TREATED NICELY

AND HE HAD NO REGARD FOR IT,
HE DIDN'T CARE.

SO FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW,

HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN
WHAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN.

Allen: WE USED TO WRITE
COMPOSITIONS IN CLASS,

AND I ALWAYS WROTE WHAT I
THOUGHT AT THE TIME

WERE AMUSING ONES.

I WAS WRITING ABOUT THIS GIRL

AND I MADE ONE
STANDARD JOKE ABOUT HER.

YOU KNOW, SHE HAD
AN HOURGLASS FIGURE

AND I WANTED TO
PLAY IN THE SAND,

AND YOU CAN'T BELIEVE
THE FUSS THAT THEY MADE.

UGH! HE KISSED ME!
HE KISSED ME! YECCH!

THAT'S THE SECOND TIME
THIS MONTH.

STEP UP HERE.

WHAT DID I DO?
STEP UP HERE!

WHAT DID I DO?
YOU SHOULD BE
ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!

Alvy: WHY?
I WAS JUST EXPRESSING

A HEALTHY SEXUAL CURIOSITY.

SIX-YEAR-OLD BOYS DON'T HAVE
GIRLS ON THEIR MINDS.

I DID.
FOR GOD SAKES, ALVY,

EVEN FREUD SPEAKS OF
A LATENCY PERIOD.

WELL, I NEVER HAD
A LATENCY PERIOD.

I CAN'T HELP IT.

THIS WAS THE FRONT
OF THE SCHOOL,

PUBLIC SCHOOL 99,

ISAAC ASIMOV SCHOOL FOR
SCIENCE AND LITERATURE.

AND IT'S IRONIC,
'CAUSE YEARS LATER,

ASIMOV WAS A WONDERFUL GUY

AND MARSHALL BRICKMAN AND I SENT
HIM THE SCRIPT OF "SLEEPER"

BEFORE WE DID
THE MOVIE AND SAID,

"IS THERE ANYTHING IN HERE
THAT WE SHOULD BE ALERTED TO

THAT DOESN'T STRIKE YOU
AS REAL, OR..."

AND HE READ IT
FOR US AND SAID,

"NO, NO, IT'S VERY GOOD,"
AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

HELLO. I'M RAGS. WOOF. WOOF.

IS HE HOUSEBROKEN,
OR WILL HE BE LEAVING

LITTLE BATTERIES
ALL OVER THE FLOOR?

Man: BY THE WAY,
"SLEEPER" IS

THE FIRST REFERENCE
I EVER REMEMBER TO CLONING.

RIGHT. AT THAT TIME...
THAT'S WHY I EXPLAINED IT

IN THE MOVIE,
'CAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW

WHAT CLONING WAS THEN.
THEY HAD NO IDEA.

NOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW,
EVERYBODY CLONES.

ONE DAY, I... I WAS

WALKING DOWN THE STREET
AND THOUGHT, "GOSH,

IT WOULD BE REALLY FUNNY
TO DO A MOVIE

WHERE I GET FROZEN
AND WAKE UP IN THE FUTURE."

Miles: I'M A CLARINET PLAYER
IN 1973,

I GO INTO THE HOSPITAL
FOR A LOUSY OPERATION,

I WAKE UP 200 YEARS LATER,
AND I'M FLASH GORDON.

Allen: MY FIRST THOUGHT

WAS THAT IT WOULD BE
A THREE-HOUR FILM, A TWO-PARTER.

THE FIRST HALF
BEFORE THE INTERMISSION

WAS GOING TO BE THIS GUY'S LIFE
IN NEW YORK, CONTEMPORARY.

AND AT THE END OF THE HOUR,
THE HOUR AND A HALF,

I WOULD FALL INTO A VAT OF,
YOU KNOW,

THE CRYOGENIC VAT
AND GET FROZEN.

AND THEN THERE WAS GOING TO BE
AN INTERMISSION

WHERE PEOPLE GO OUT
AND BUY POPCORN.

Allen: AND WHEN THEY'D
COME IN FOR THE SECOND HALF,

WE'D BE TOTALLY IN THE FUTURE.

WE'D BE 200 YEARS
IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE VERY SOON
WERE DISABUSED OF THAT

FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

Allen: IT WAS SUCH
A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING

THAT I SAID,

YOU KNOW, FORGET IT.

WE'LL JUST DO
THE FUTURISTIC PART OF IT.

CAN I HELP YOU?

WOULD YOU CHANGE HIS HEAD
FOR ME PLEASE?

SOMETHING A LITTLE
MORE AESTHETIC.

Man: YOU GOT ROOM IN THERE
FOR ANOTHER HEAD CHANGE?

YEAH. SURE.

Allen: ANOTHER PLOY THAT...

THAT INTERESTED ME IN THAT
WAS I WANTED TO DO

SOMETHING WHERE I
WOKE UP IN A SOCIETY

WHERE NOBODY SPOKE
AND I WOULD HAVE HAD TO

HAVE PLAYED THE WHOLE FILM
AS A FUGITIVE, BUT SILENT.

AND IT WOULD'VE GIVEN ME
AN EXCUSE TO MAKE

A SILENT COMEDY
WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING

AND DOING A THROWBACK.

Brickman: WE WANTED TO DO
A MOVIE WITHOUT ANY DIALOGUE.

A VERY, VERY STUPID IDEA.

AND THEN WE REALIZED
THAT OUR STRONG SUIT

WAS ACTUALLY DIALOGUE.

WHAT'S IT FEEL LIKE
TO BE DEAD FOR 200 YEARS?

IT'S LIKE SPENDING
A WEEKEND IN BEVERLY HILLS.

SOME OF THE IDEA OF
DOING PHYSICAL COMEDY

DID REMAIN.

THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR
SEQUENCES THAT ARE...

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE WITH
THE LITTLE HELICOPTER BACKPACK.

OF COURSE, THERE'S THAT ONE
SEQUENCE WITH THE GIANT BANANA.

OH, MY GOD.

I BEAT A MAN INSENSIBLE
WITH A STRAWBERRY.

Man: IS HE USUALLY...
IS HE EASY TO BREAK UP?

NO. NOT, NOT...
BUT WHEN HE DOES, THAT'S IT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
ONCE HE STARTS LAUGHING,

THEN HE JUST
KEEPS LAUGHING.

OKAY. LET'S GO.

Man: ALL RIGHT,
HERE WE GO.

Allen: KEATON
MAKES ME LAUGH PROBABLY

MORE THAN ANY OTHER PERSON,
BECAUSE SHE'S SO FUNNY.

Man: AND ACTION.

WHEN WE WERE DOING "SLEEPER,"
THEY WERE REVIVING ME

BY TRYING TO
RECREATE MY HOME LIFE.

THIS WAS SOME
PSYCHOLOGICAL PLOY.

BUT KEATON,
PLAYING MY MOTHER,

WAS JUST SO FUNNY TO ME
THAT I COULDN'T...

I COULDN'T ACT
THE SCENE WITH HER.

Keaton: NU, WHAT ARE YOU
STANDING THERE?

COME IN!
YOUR FOOD IS GETTING COLD!

I CAN'T.

MILES,
I COOKED YOUR FAVORITE,

A NICE BOWL OF
HOT SELTZER WATER.

Allen: I MEAN,
I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

I TRIED AND I TRIED
AND I TRIED.

SORRY.

Allen: I'D SUDDENLY
BE LOOKING AT HER

AND SHE'D BE LOOKING UP AT ME
AND I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING.

I WOULD JUST
NOT BE ABLE TO STOP.

NU, WHAT ARE YOU
STANDING THERE?

COME IN!

ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GO ONTO ELSE.

I OBVIOUSLY
CAN'T DO THIS.

Allen: I RECALL, VERY EARLY,
BEING TAKEN TO A DISNEY FILM.

I THINK IT WAS "SNOW WHITE."

I REMEMBER BOLTING
OUT OF MY SEAT

TO TRY AND RUN UP THE AISLE
AND TOUCH THE SCREEN

'CAUSE I WAS SO FASCINATED
WITH WHAT IT WAS.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN I WAS A KID,

WE DIDN'T...
WE HAD NO IDEA

WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS.

AND SO I WOULD SIT AND A KID
NEXT TO ME IN CLASS WOULD SAY,

"I WAS AT THE MOVIE THEATER,
YOU KNOW, ON SATURDAY,

AND I FINISHED MY RAISINETS
AND I MADE A SPITBALL

OUT OF MY CARDBOARD BOX,
YOU KNOW,

WITH A PIECE OF
MY CARDBOARD BOX,

AND I THREW THE SPITBALL UP
AND HIT THE SCREEN,

AND WHEN IT HIT THE SCREEN,
IT BURST INTO FLAME."

SO I SAID,
"NO KIDDING, REALLY?"

AND, YOU KNOW,
AND I WANTED TO...

I WANTED TO FIND OUT
WHAT WAS...

WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS.

AND THERE WAS
A MOVIE THEATER HERE

AND I USED THE NAME OF IT
IN "PURPLE ROSE."

IT WAS CALLED THE JEWEL.

AND THE JEWEL WAS ONE OF
THE FIRST MOVIE HOUSES

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
TO SHOW FOREIGN FILMS.

I SAW MY FIRST
INGMAR BERGMAN FILM THERE.

AND IT WAS RIGHT AROUND HERE...

I THINK IT WAS ON
THE NEXT BLOCK.

COULD THIS HAVE BEEN IT?

MAYBE THIS WAS IT.

MAYBE THIS WAS IT.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE JEWEL.

I LIVED IN BROOKLYN
IN THIS REPRESSED ERA.

THERE WAS A BERGMAN FILM
PLAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

WITH HARRIET ANDERSSON.

IT WAS "SUMMER WITH MONIKA."

AND SHE WAS ALLEGEDLY
NAKED IN THE FILM.

SO I BEAT A QUICK PATH

TO THE DOOR
AND I WENT TO SEE THAT FILM

JUST SO I COULD SEE A WOMAN
WITHOUT HER CLOTHES ON.

AND IT WAS A FABULOUS MOVIE
APART FROM THE NUDITY.

THEN A FEW YEARS LATER,

THEY SHOWED
"THE SEVENTH SEAL"

AND "WILD STRAWBERRIES"
AND "THE MAGICIAN."

Allen: I THOUGHT THAT
IT'S POINTLESS FOR ME

TO WORK ANYMORE BECAUSE
NO ONE WILL EVER

BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING
BETTER THAN THIS.

BERGMAN, YOU KNOW,
HAD JUST REACHED THE LIMITS

OF WHAT YOU COULD DO IN FILM,

AND THERE WAS
NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

SO I FOUND MYSELF

IN AN ODD POSITION
WHERE I WAS

INFLUENCED BY GROUCHO MAX

AND BOB HOPE
AND INGMAR BERGMAN.

I MEAN, THERE WAS NO

RATIONALITY TO IT.

AND SO YOU WOULD GET A FILM
LIKE "LOVE AND DEATH,"

FOR EXAMPLE,
WHICH WAS A FILM THAT HAS

A BERGMAN INFLUENCE

BUT IS SO CLEARLY
A COMIC FILM.

BORIS!
BORIS, WHAT HAPPENED?

I GOT SCREWED.

HOW?
I DON'T KNOW.

SOME VISION CAME
AND SAID THAT

I WAS GONNA GET PARDONED,
AND THEY SHOT ME.

YOU WERE MY ONE
GREAT LOVE!

OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THAT.

NOW, IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME,
I'M DEAD.

Allen: AND SO I WAS
KICKING AROUND MY HOUSE

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO,

AND I JUST HAPPENED TO SEE

A RUSSIAN HISTORY BOOK
ON MY SHELF.

I THOUGHT, "GEE,
IT WOULD BE FUNNY TO DO A FILM

BASED ON ALL THAT
RUSSIAN LITERATURE

AND ALL THOSE RUSSIAN CLICHES."

♪

YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS
HAD A GREAT LOVE

OF HEAVY LITERATURE
AND HEAVY THEMES IN GENERAL.

I'M INTERESTED
AND ATTRACTED TO THEM

AND ALSO FIND THEM VERY FUNNY.

NON-EXISTENCE,

BLACK EMPTINESS.

Sonja: WHAT'D YOU SAY?

OH, I WAS... I WAS JUST
PLANNING MY FUTURE.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS
AN AREA WHERE I COULD THEN

GET IN A LOT OF SUBJECT MATTER
THAT I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT,

PHILOSOPHICAL THEMES
AND DEATH AND LONGING,

AND THEN I THOUGHT IT'D BE
FUN TO DO THAT AND, YOU KNOW,

I THOUGHT I'D DO
A BIG CARTOON FILM ABOUT IT

AND TRY TO MAKE IT AS FUNNY
AS I COULD MAKE IT AT THE TIME.

BOY, THIS... THIS ARMY COOKING
WILL GET YOU EVERY TIME.

OH, GOD IS TESTING US.

IF HE'S GOING TO TEST US,

WHY DOESN'T HE GIVE US
A WRITTEN?

THOUGH I DO I FEEL THAT

THE FIRST GROUP
OF FOUR OR FIVE FILMS

THAT I MADE WERE FUNNY
FOR THE MOST PART,

THAT ONE COULD SAY

THAT THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY
TRIVIAL AND BE RIGHT.

IN "LOVE AND DEATH,"

YOU COULD SEE
THE INFLUENCE OF BOB HOPE,

BECAUSE YOU SEE
PHYSICAL COWARDICE

IN THE TEETH OF WARFARE.

THAT'S A STRONG SUIT
OF BOB HOPE'S,

AND WOODY IS ALL OVER THAT

IN "LOVE AND DEATH."

IF YOU SO MUCH AS
COME NEAR THE COUNTESS,

I'LL SEE THAT YOU NEVER SEE
THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN.

IF A MAN SAID THAT TO ME,
I'D BREAK HIS NECK.

I AM A MAN.

WELL, I MEAN
A MUCH SHORTER MAN.

Allen: BOB HOPE

WAS A BIG INFLUENCE ON ME.

I CAN SEE IT
ALL OVER ME IN FILMS.

THIS MAN IS MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE,
A COMMON BARBER.

ARE YOU GOING TO
ACCEPT THAT?

WELL, A MAN'S ENTITLED
TO AN OPINION.

SLAP HIM BACK.

YOU'RE LUCKY I
HAVEN'T GOT A SWORD.

HMM.

YOU KEEP OUT OF THIS.

Allen: I WOULD GET
INTO HIS SUIT,

SO TO SPEAK.

BUT WHEN I DO HIM
AND HE DOES HIM,

THERE IS THE WORLD
OF DIFFERENCE.

I DO, YOU KNOW,
A CLUMSY VERSION.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

I'D PREFER SOMETHING SEXY,
BUT...

WOULD YOU LIKE SOME WINE,

SOMETHING TO PUT YOU
IN THE MOOD?

OH, I'VE BEEN IN THE MOOD
SINCE THE LATE 1700s.

Allen: IT WAS
A TOUGH MOVIE TO MAKE.

I MEAN, IT WAS COLD
AND LABORIOUS

AND, YOU KNOW,
VERY HARD WORK, I FOUND,

NOT EASY,
BUT FUN TO WRITE.

BUT IF THERE IS NO GOD, WELL,
THEN LIFE HAS NO MEANING.

WHY GO ON LIVING?
WHY NOT JUST COMMIT SUICIDE?

WELL, LET'S NOT
GET HYSTERICAL.

I COULD BE WRONG.

I'D HATE TO
BLOW MY BRAINS OUT

AND THEN READ IN THE PAPERS
THEY FOUND SOMETHING.

IT'S REALLY EXCITING
TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT

OF WOODY ALLEN FROM
WRITING STAND UP,

MONOLOGUE, TALK SHOW,

"BANANAS," "SLEEPER,"
TO THE FILMMAKER.

I'M NOT SURE I QUICKLY PERCEIVED
THE IMPORTANCE OF "ANNIE HALL"

IN TERMS OF BEING
A DEPARTURE FROM

STUFF HE'D DONE BEFORE,
BUT I KNEW THAT WE WERE

ON TO SOMETHING SPECIAL
SEEING THAT FILM.

YEAH, EVERYBODY DID.

David: I REMEMBER WHEN
"ANNIE HALL" CAME OUT,

THERE WAS THIS KIND OF
BUZZ IN NEW YORK

THAT WAS ELECTRIFYING.

I HADN'T SEEN THE MOVIE,
BUT IT ALMOST FRIGHTENED ME,

THE WAY MY UNCLE TOLD ME,

"DON'T GO SEE
'HOUSE OF WAX' IN 3D."

YOU KNOW,
IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"

YOU KNOW,
IT WAS LIKE SOME KIND OF

EARTH-CHANGING EVENT
WAS TAKING PLACE.

Allen: UNTIL "ANNIE HALL,"

I HAD BEEN INTERESTED ONLY IN
MAKING THE AUDIENCE LAUGH.

AND THERE WERE MANY
PEOPLE AROUND ME

THAT SAID,
"WHY DO YOU WANT TO DO

A PICTURE LIKE
'ANNIE HALL' FOR?

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN
MAKE AUDIENCES LAUGH

AND BE FUNNY,
AND MY FRIENDS AND I,

WE ALL MUCH WOULD RATHER SEE
A 'BANANAS'

OR 'LOVE AND DEATH.'"

AND I FELT, "I'LL SACRIFICE

SOME OF THE LAUGHS

FOR A STORY

ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS,
AND THEY WILL

GET INVOLVED IN THE STORY

IN A WAY THAT
THEY HAD NOT EVER

BEEN INVOLVED BEFORE,

AND IT WOULD BE RICHER

AND IT WOULD BE A BETTER
EXPERIENCE FOR THEM

AND FUN FOR ME TO TRY,
AND THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN

IS I'LL MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF."

YEAH, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW,

I'M OBSESSED WITH DEATH,
I THINK.

IT'S A BIG SUBJECT WITH ME,
YEAH.

I HAVE A VERY PESSIMISTIC
VIEW OF LIFE.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS ABOUT ME
IF WE'RE GONNA GO OUT.

YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT
LIFE IS DIVIDED UP

INTO THE HORRIBLE
AND THE MISERABLE.

THOSE ARE THE TWO CATEGORIES,
YOU KNOW?

THE HORRIBLE
WOULD BE LIKE, UM,

I DON'T KNOW,
TERMINAL CASES, YOU KNOW,

AND BLIND PEOPLE,
CRIPPLES.

I DON'T KNOW HOW
THEY GET THROUGH LIFE.

IT'S AMAZING TO ME,
YOU KNOW,

AND THE MISERABLE IS
EVERYONE ELSE, THAT'S...

SO WHEN YOU GO THROUGH LIFE,
YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL

THAT YOU'RE MISERABLE,
BECAUSE THAT'S...

YOU'RE VERY LUCKY
TO BE MISERABLE.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
THAT I'D READ

ANYTHING OF WOODY'S
THAT WAS SO

PERSONALLY TOUCHING.

IT WAS A LOVE STORY,

AND IT WAS A SHOCK TO READ IT,

AND I JUST THOUGHT,

"THIS IS WONDERFUL."

AND IT WAS...
IT WAS AN EXPRESSION

OF SUCH TREMENDOUS GROWTH
FOR WOODY, THAT SCRIPT.

U.A. HAD ALWAYS PRIDED ITSELF
ON BEING VERY DIRECTOR-

AND WRITER-FRIENDLY
RATHER THAN STAR-FRIENDLY.

ARTHUR KRIM WAS
COSIMO DE' MEDICI.

HE HAD KNIGHTED WOODY
AS A KNIGHT OF THE CHURCH,

AND ARTHUR KRIM WOULD
SIT DOWN AT A TABLE,

LOOK YOU IN THE EYE,
DECIDE HOW CRAZY YOU WERE.

HE WOULD ASK YOU HOW MUCH MONEY
YOU NEEDED TO MAKE THE MOVIE.

YOU WOULD TELL HIM,
HE WOULD GIVE YOU

A LITTLE BIT LESS,
BECAUSE IT...

YOU KNOW,
IT BUILDS CHARACTER.

THEY WATCHED THE BUDGETS
VERY CAREFULLY

AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE
AND THEY HAD AN AMAZING RUN,

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THAT.

THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING
THAT OCCURRED TO WOODY

WHILE WE WERE MAKING THAT FILM,

THAT, "NOW I SHOULD
START MAKING FILMS

A LITTLE MORE MATURE,
THAT AREN'T JUST GAGS

AND VIGNETTES THROWN TOGETHER.

LET'S START MAKING THEM,
YOU KNOW,

A LITTLE MORE COHESIVE."

AND SO I THINK THERE WAS

A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO PUT SOME

REAL FILMMAKERS TOGETHER
TO HELP ACHIEVE THIS.

AT THAT TIME,

THE MOST CELEBRATED NEW YORK
CAMERAMAN WAS GORDON WILLIS.

AND GORDY,
WHO THEY USED TO CALL

"THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS"...

ALWAYS WENT FOR
GREAT DARKNESS...

HE DID "THE GODFATHER."

EVERYONE HAD ALWAYS
TALKED ABOUT HIM

AS SUCH A GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHER.

Lauder: PUTTING GORDON WILLIS
AND WOODY TOGETHER WAS LIKE

A VERY ODD PAIRING BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, WOODY WAS THIS SORT OF

LOOSEY-GOOSEY COMEDIAN
AND GORDON WAS THIS

VERY STRICT,
DISCIPLINED PHOTOGRAPHER

WHO HAD A CONTROVERSIAL
REPUTATION

FOR CRANKINESS,
AND IT JUST LOOKED LIKE,

YOU KNOW,
"THIS WILL NEVER WORK."

I PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE
A GOOD REPUTATION

AS MR. SMILE,
YOU KNOW, SO HE THOUGHT,

"GEE, I'M GETTING INVOLVED
WITH A MONSTER HERE."

WE HIT IT OFF RIGHT AWAY.

WE CHATTED

AND HE WAS VERY SMART
AND I LIKED HIM VERY MUCH.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS CLEAR

RIGHT AWAY THAT I HAD
A LOT TO LEARN FROM HIM

AND THAT HE WAS

A GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHER
IN EVERY WAY.

Keaton: WOODY DID
CHOOSE GORDON WILLIS

TO BE THE CINEMATOGRAPHER,

AND FOR A COMEDY,
THAT WAS UNHEARD OF.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE
THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS

BE THE CINEMATOGRAPHER
FOR A COMEDY.

NOBODY COULD BELIEVE IT,

AND SO IT WAS
A TERRIFYING PROSPECT,

BUT WOODY TOOK IT ON,
AND HE MADE A GREAT CHOICE.

THE FIRST SHOT I EVER DID WITH

GORDON WILLIS IN MY LIFE,
THE FIRST SCENE

THAT WE EVER SHOT
IN "ANNIE HALL,"

WAS THE LOBSTER SCENE.

HOLD IT, THAT ONE. THERE.
YOU KNOW WHAT,

MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST
CALL THE POLICE,

DIAL 911.
IT'S THE LOBSTER SQUAD.

COME ON, ALVY, THEY'RE ONLY
BABY ONES, FOR GOD SAKES.

IF THEY'RE ONLY BABIES,
THEN YOU PICK THEM UP.

OH, ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

HERE. HERE YOU GO.

DON'T GIVE IT TO ME.
DON'T! LOOK! ONE...

ONE CRAWLED BEHIND
THE REFRIGERATOR.

IT WILL TURN UP IN
OUR BED AT NIGHT.

WILL YOU GET OUT OF HERE
WITH THAT THING?

JESUS!

TALK TO THEM.
YOU SPEAK SHELLFISH.

Willis: ONE OF THE NICE THINGS
ABOUT WORKING WITH WOODY

OVER THE TIME THAT WE
WORKED TOGETHER WAS IT...

MORE OR LESS LIKE WORKING WITH
YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKETS.

IT'S VERY EASY, PLEASANT.

GORDIE WAS THE ONE
WHO SAID TO ME,

"WHEN WE DO THE SPLIT SCREEN
WITH THE SHRINK"...

I'M WITH ONE SHRINK
AND SHE'S WITH ANOTHER ONE...

HE SAID, "DON'T DO
A SPLIT SCREEN.

BUILD IT. BUILD A SET WITH A...
WITH A DIVIDER IN THE MIDDLE,

SO YOU'RE BOTH LIVE.

IT'LL LOOK LIKE A SPLIT SCREEN,
BUT IT WON'T BE."

Willis: THAT WAS
A REVELATION FOR HIM

AT THAT POINT
'CAUSE IT MEANT

BOTH ACTORS COULD
DO THE SCENE, YOU KNOW,

WITHOUT BEING
INTERRUPTED WITH DOING

HALF THE SCENE
AND THEN HALF A SCENE

AND PUTTING IT
TOGETHER OPTICALLY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU
SLEEP TOGETHER?

Woman: DO YOU
HAVE SEX OFTEN?

HARDLY EVER.
MAYBE THREE TIMES A WEEK.

CONSTANTLY.
I'D SAY THREE TIMES A WEEK.

IT WAS A SOMEWHAT
PRECOCIOUS FILM, I THINK,

BECAUSE IT WAS...
AS I RECALL,

THERE WAS A ROUGH CUT
THAT WAS WELL OVER TWO HOURS.

I THOUGHT OF IT ONLY AS...
REALLY AS A COMEDY,

YOU KNOW,
AND I THOUGHT WHEN I WAS

PUTTING IT TOGETHER ORIGINALLY
THAT IT WOULD BE FUN

FOR PEOPLE TO SEE
WHAT WENT ON IN MY MIND.

THAT WAS GOING TO
BE THE MOVIE.

YOU WERE GOING TO SEE
WHAT GOES ON IN HIS MIND,

GOING FROM BIT TO BIT
WITHOUT MUCH PLOT.

IT BECAME APPARENT
IN THE EDITING ROOM

THAT THE PICTURE WAS
ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

THE RELATIONSHIP WAS
SO STRONG THAT NOBODY

WANTED TO SEE
WHAT WENT ON IN MY MIND.

THEY WANTED TO GET BACK TO
THIS STORY OF THE TWO PEOPLE.

HI. HI.

OH, HI. HI.

WELL,

BYE.

YOU PLAY VERY WELL.

OH, YEAH?
SO DO YOU.

OH, GOD. WHAT A DUMB
THING TO SAY, RIGHT?

I MEAN, YOU SAID,
"YOU PLAY WELL,"

THEN RIGHT AWAY,
I HAVE TO SAY, "YOU PLAY WELL."

OH. OH, GOD, ANNIE.

WELL... OH, WELL.

LA-DI-DAH, LA-DI-DAH,
LA-LA. YEAH.

KEATON WAS SO COMPELLING,
YOU KNOW,

THAT WHEN SHE
WASN'T ON-SCREEN

OR THE STORY WASN'T
ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP,

EVEN IF SHE WAS ON-SCREEN,
YOU DIDN'T CARE.

THE WHOLE WORLD FELL IN LOVE

WITH DIANE KEATON,
BUT WOODY ALLEN FELL

IN LOVE WITH HER FIRST,
AND HE MADE THAT CONTAGIOUS.

HEY, LISTEN. LISTEN.

WHAT?
GIVE ME A KISS.

REALLY?
YEAH. WHY NOT?
BECAUSE WE'RE JUST

GOING TO GO HOME LATER,
RIGHT?

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE
ALL THAT TENSION,

YOU KNOW,
WE NEVER KISSED BEFORE

AND I'LL NEVER KNOW WHEN
TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE

OR ANYTHING,
SO WE'LL KISS NOW,

WE'LL GET IT OVER WITH,
THEN WE'LL GO EAT, OKAY?

OH. ALL RIGHT.
AND WE'LL DIGEST
OUR FOOD BETTER.

OKAY.

OKAY? SO NOW WE CAN DIGEST
OUR FOOD, OKAY? YEAH.

HE WAS JUST UNFATHOMABLE,
I THINK, MAINLY TO MY PARENTS

AND PARTICULARLY
MY GRANDMOTHER.

YOU'RE WHAT GRAMMY HALL
WOULD CALL A REAL JEW.

THANK YOU.

Allen: THERE IS A GRAMMY HALL.

THAT WAS...
THAT'S KEATON'S GRANDMOTHER,

AS A MATTER OF FACT,

JUST AN ELDERLY LADY WHO
LIVES IN CALIFORNIA.

Keaton: SHE WOULD CALL HIM
THIS ODD JEW,

BUT SHE WAS A TOTAL RACIST,
AND SO

I WASN'T REALLY
VERY PROUD OF HER

WITH REGARD TO THAT AND HER
ATTITUDE ABOUT WOODY,

AND, YOU KNOW,
SHE'D SAY THINGS LIKE,

"OH, YEAH,
HE'S JUST LIKE A JEW."

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S...
THAT'S WHY HE CAPTURED

THE ESSENCE OF MY FAMILY.

YEAH, NOT...
NOT VERY PRETTY.

"ANNIE HALL" IS THE FILM WHERE

HE MAKES THE DECISION NOT
TO LEAD ALWAYS WITH JOKES,

THOUGH IT'S PACKED,
PACKED WITH GREAT JOKES.

YOU'RE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH
YOUR COLLEGE PROFESSOR,

THAT JERK THAT TEACHES THAT
INCREDIBLE CRAP COURSE,

CONTEMPORARY CRISIS
IN WESTERN MAN.

EXISTENTIAL MOTIFS
IN RUSSIAN LITERATURE.

YOU'RE REALLY CLOSE.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
IT'S ALL MENTAL MASTURBATION.

OH, WELL, NOW WE'RE
FINALLY GETTING

TO A SUBJECT
YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT.

HEY, DON'T KNOCK
MASTURBATION.

IT'S SEX WITH
SOMEONE I LOVE.

McGrath: IT'S THE FIRST FILM

WHERE IT'S TRULY GROUNDED
IN ADULT FEELING.

THIS IS THE ONE
WHERE HE THINKS,

"I'M GOING TO GO WITH
FEELING FIRST

AND PEOPLE FIRST,
AND THE JOKES HAVE TO

COME OUT OF THOSE PEOPLE."

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS
LIKE A LANDMARK CHANGE.

LET'S FACE IT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK OUR
RELATIONSHIP IS WORKING.

I KNOW. A RELATIONSHIP,
I THINK, IS LIKE A SHARK.

YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO CONSTANTLY
MOVE FORWARD OR IT DIES.

AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT ON
OUR HANDS IS A DEAD SHARK.

THE STORY HE TELLS IS THE STORY
OF EVERYBODY WHO FALLS IN LOVE

AND THEN FALLS OUT OF LOVE
AND GOES ON,

AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT
SO UNIVERSAL

AND SO MEANINGFUL
TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

THE BUILD-UP WAS SUCH THAT...
THAT IT FELT LIKE

A BOMB WAS ABOUT TO GO OFF IN
NEW YORK THAT WAS GOING TO

CHANGE THE WAY COMEDIES
WERE MADE FOREVER,

AND I GUESS PERHAPS
IN A WAY IT DID.

IT WAS... IT WAS
THAT KIND OF MOVIE.

WE SPEAK OF "ANNIE HALL"
AS A GAME CHANGER.

IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
A GAME CHANGER FOR WOODY ALLEN,

BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO GO
WHERE WANTS TO GO,

BUT IT WAS A GAME CHANGER
FOR THE INDUSTRY.

I THINK COMEDY ITSELF
BEGAN TO BE REEVALUATED.

DID WE GET A SENSE THAT THIS WAS
SOME SORT OF CULTURAL AVALANCHE?

NO. NO.

THERE ARE SUBCULTURES
THAT EXIST,

AND SOMETIMES YOU HIT ONTO

ONE OF THEM
AND YOU REALIZE

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THERE
THAT WASN'T THERE,

AND I GUESS THERE
WAS AN AUDIENCE

READY FOR THIS MOVIE.

HEY, HOW MUCH IS THIS STUFF,
INCIDENTALLY?

THAT'S ABOUT
$2,000 AN OUNCE.

GOD.
REALLY? AND WHAT IS
THE KICK OF IT?

WHICH I NEVER...

Lauder: I DIDN'T GO
TO THE EVENT BECAUSE

IN THE OFFICE POOLS,

"STAR WARS" WAS
THE HANDS-DOWN WINNER.

WOODY SAID, "I'M NOT GOING TO
GO OUT TO THE AWARDS

BECAUSE I HAVE THE BAND.

I HAVE OUR JAZZ BAND
ON MONDAY NIGHTS."

AND I THOUGHT, "OKAY,
THAT'S A KIND OF GENIUS.

HE'S REALLY MAKING
A VERY SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT

THAT'S GOING TO
CARRY HIM A LONG WAY."

I SAID, "BUT I DON'T
HAVE TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

I WANT TO GO."

MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE,
WE PICKED UP FOUR AWARDS,

WHICH WAS ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY,

BEST DIRECTOR FOR WOODY,
BEST FILM,

AND BEST ACTRESS FOR DIANE.

Allen: THE NEXT MORNING,
I GOT UP, YOU KNOW,

I GOT THE NEW YORK TIMES
DELIVERED TO MY APARTMENT,

AND I NOTICED ON
THE FRONT PAGE ON THE BOTTOM,

IT SAID THAT "'ANNIE HALL'
WINS FOUR ACADEMY AWARDS,"

SO I GO, "OH, THAT'S GREAT."

Cavett: SOMEBODY AT
THE JACK ROLLINS OFFICE HEARD

JACK SAY TO WOODY,
"WOODY, ARE YOU ADAMANT

ABOUT THIS IDEA
THAT YOU DON'T WANT

'ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING FILM, '
YOU DON'T WANT THAT PHRASE

IN THE ADS ANYWHERE WITHIN
A HUNDRED MILES OF NEW YORK?"

AND HE SAID,
"THAT'S RIGHT."

AND JACK SAID, "COULD WE
MAKE IT 50, WOODY?"

I THINK WHAT YOU GET
IN AWARDS IS FAVORITISM.

I MEAN, PEOPLE CAN SAY,

"OH, MY FAVORITE MOVIE
WAS 'ANNIE HALL, '"

BUT THE IMPLICATION IS THAT
IT'S THE BEST MOVIE,

AND I DON'T THINK
THAT'S POSSIBLE.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN
MAKE THAT JUDGMENT.

EXCEPT FOR TRACK,
TRACK AND FIELD, YOU KNOW,

WHERE ONE GUY RUNS
AND YOU SEE THAT HE WINS,

THEN IT'S OKAY.

I WON THOSE WHEN
I WAS YOUNGER,

AND THOSE WERE NICE,
'CAUSE I KNEW I DESERVED THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO,
FOR INSTANCE, IN FILMS,

DO MORE SERIOUS FILMS.

I'D LIKE TO

NOT ACT IN THEM
BUT TO WRITE AND DIRECT

MORE SERIOUS THINGS.

HE HAD THEN THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPLORE THAT

IN HIMSELF AS AN ARTIST,
RIGHT? OKAY.

HE TOOK IT.
OTHER PEOPLE WOULDN'T.

OTHER PEOPLE WOULD
STAY WITH WHAT

THEY FEEL IS SAFER,
IN A SENSE.

NOT THAT ANYTHING'S
REALLY SAFE,

BUT, I MEAN,
IT'S TERRITORY THEY FEEL THAT

THEY CAN EXCEL.

BUT TO PUSH AND GO FURTHER,

THAT'S WHY HE HAD TO
DO "INTERIORS,"

TO GET TO THAT POINT.

I FEEL I HAVE BEEN
A DEDICATED HUSBAND,

A RESPONSIBLE FATHER,
AND I HAVEN'T REGRETTED ANYTHING

I'VE BEEN CALLED UPON TO DO.

NOW I FEEL I WANT TO BE
BY MYSELF FOR A WHILE.

CONSEQUENTLY, I'VE DECIDED TO
MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE,

BUT I FEEL IT'S SOMETHING
I HAVE TO TRY.

IT'S A SEPARATION,

AND I WANTED TO
LAY IT ON THE TABLE

IN FRONT OF EVERYONE
SO THAT EVERYTHING IS OPEN

AND AS DIRECT AS POSSIBLE.

Scorsese: AND HE HAD
A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP

WITH UNITED ARTISTS,

WHICH, BY THE WAY,

WAS THE HOME OF
INDEPENDENT FILMS.

I WAS, YOU KNOW,
INDULGED BY THEM.

THEY SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE EARNED THE RIGHT

TO MAKE ANY FILM
YOU WANT TO MAKE, SO,

YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
A VERY SERIOUS DRAMA, GO AHEAD

AND MAKE ONE."

I TALKED WITH
YOUR DOCTOR.

HE FEELS YOU
CAN HANDLE THIS.

YOU TALKED TO DR. LOBEL
ABOUT THIS BEHIND MY BACK?

NOT BEHIND YOUR BACK.
DISCREETLY.

YOU DISCUSSED THIS WITH
DR. LOBEL BEHIND MY BACK.

IT'S SO HUMILIATING.

EVE, IT'S YOUR DOCTOR
AND MYSELF.

NOW, HOW PRIVATE
CAN ONE BE?

AND HE ASSURED YOU

THAT I CAN HANDLE IT,
IS THAT RIGHT?

OH, HOW HUMILIATING!

YOU'RE NOT HUMILIATED.

OH, I JUST WANT TO DIE.

OH, STOP THAT.

I JUST HATE MY LIFE!

Lasser: BUT HIS DESIRE
ALWAYS HAD BEEN AND HAS BEEN

TO BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND THE DARK SIDE OF HIM IS
A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF HIM,

IN HIS WORK AND IN HIM.

AND IT'S HIS...

IT'S A GREAT THING
AND IT'S A TORTURE.

I PUT A HIGHER VALUE ON
THE TRAGIC MUSE

THAN THE COMIC MUSE.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT
TRAGIC WRITING,

TRAGIC THEATER,

TRAGIC FILM CONFRONTS
REALITY HEAD-ON AND DOESN'T

SATIRIZE IT, TEASE IT,
KID IT, DEFLECT IT,

OPT OUT WITH SOME KIND OF
A GAG AT THE LAST MINUTE.

IT'S HARDER FOR ME,

I EMBARRASS MYSELF
MORE READILY,

BUT I GET MORE PLEASURE
OUT OF FAILING IN A PROJECT

THAT I AM ENTHUSED OVER
THAN IN SUCCEEDING

IN A PROJECT THAT
I KNOW I CAN DO WELL.

Maltin: AFTER TAKING
A LOT OF FLACK FOR "INTERIORS"

BEING SO HEAVY AND DRAMATIC,

HE RESPONDED,
AND SOME PEOPLE

WOULD SAY REBOUNDED,
WITH HIS NEXT FILM.

HAVING DONE "ANNIE HALL,"

WHICH HAD A PARTICULAR
KIND OF LOOK,

WE THOUGHT, "OKAY, NOW,
HOW DO WE MAKE 'MANHATTAN'

BE A LITTLE MORE
DISTINCTIVE VISUALLY?"

♪

THE DECISION TO SHOOT

"MANHATTAN" IN
BLACK AND WHITE REALLY WAS

WOODY'S IDEA,
BECAUSE I THINK BOTH OF US

PERCEIVE MANHATTAN AS LIKE
A BLACK AND WHITE CITY.

IT'S STONE AND CONCRETE
AND BLACKTOP.

WOODY ALLEN UNDERSTOOD
SOMETHING ABOUT

BLACK AND WHITE THAT
HOLLYWOOD HAD FORGOTTEN,

WHICH IS THAT IT ADDS GLAMOUR,
AND SO ONE OF

THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF "MANHATTAN" IS THAT

IT CREATES A NOSTALGIA
FOR THE PRESENT.

HE LOVES NEW YORK SO MUCH.

I MEAN, IT'S HIS CITY.

AND IN THIS FILM, WHICH IS

JUST SUCH A LOVE LETTER
TO NEW YORK, IT'S...

NOTHING'S DONE SO
EXTRAORDINARILY WELL

THAT'S SAYS NEW YORK.

IT'S CONSTANTLY ALIVE.

IT'S LIKE A CITY THAT'S
CONTINUALLY EVOLVING

AND EXTRAORDINARILY CREATIVE.

AND THE RHYTHM OF THE CITY
FEEDS DIFFERENT SENSIBILITIES.

I WANTED TO SHOW NEW YORK

IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL WAY,
THE WAY I SEE IT.

I NEVER HAD ANY INTEREST

IN SHOWING IT EXCEPT THROUGH
MY ROSE-COLORED GLASSES,

MY ROMANTICIZED VIEW OF IT.

IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
I LOVE HIS WORK.

BUT THEY ARE EXTREMELY
FOREIGN TO ME.

IT'S ANOTHER...
NOT ANOTHER WORLD,

ANOTHER PLANET.

THE NEW YORK I KNOW
IS REALLY...

YOU LOOK AT "MEAN STREETS,"
THAT'S MY...

WHERE I GREW UP,

AND "TAXI DRIVER"
IS MY STATE OF MIND.

MANHATTAN IS SO BEAUTIFUL,
SO YOU'RE SEEING...

EACH SHOT BECAME... YOU KNOW,
IT BECAME A PAINTING.

YEARS FROM NOW,
PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO

LOOK BACK AT MY FILMS,
AND THE ONLY REAL VALUE OF THEM

IS GOING TO BE
THE BACKGROUND SCENERY.

Isaac: NEW YORK WAS HIS TOWN,
AND IT ALWAYS WOULD BE.

♪

Allen: "MANHATTAN"
WE WANTED TO SHOOT

WIDE SCREEN JUST BECAUSE
IT WAS NOT

A WAR PICTURE
OR A BIG-SCOPE PICTURE.

IT WAS AN INTIMATE LOVE STORY.

JUST BECAUSE OF THAT,

WE THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE INTERESTING.

THE GERSHWIN MUSIC IN MANHATTAN

IS REALLY A SECOND
PART OF THE MOVIE.

YOU HAVE THE STORY GOING ON
OF ALL THESE CHARACTERS,

AND THEN THIS MUSIC
WAS JUST ABLE TO

INFORM THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

IT REALLY MAKES THE MUSIC
ANOTHER CHARACTER,

ANOTHER PART
OF THE ENSEMBLE.

♪

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE
REGARDED AS COMEDIES

THAT ALWAYS BEWILDER ME.

"MANHATTAN" WAS A ROMANCE,

AND I GUESS IT'S
THOUGHT OF AS A COMEDY

BECAUSE THE GENERAL STORY,
YOU KNOW, WAS LIGHT.

I MEAN, IT WAS AMUSING.

I WAS IN LOVE
WITH A YOUNG GIRL

AND THE GUY WAS

CHEATING ON HIS WIFE,
AND IT'S MORE OF

A FOREIGN FILM INFLUENCE.

IN FOREIGN COMEDIES,
YOU DON'T GET THOSE

KIND OF "JOKE COMEDIES"
VERY OFTEN.

WHAT YOU GET MORE IS
REGULAR DRAMATIC STORIES

BUT WITH A LITTLE LIGHT TOUCH
TO THEM HERE AND THERE.

WELL, I'M OLD-FASHIONED.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN
EXTRAMARITAL RELATIONSHIPS.

I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD
MATE FOR LIFE,

LIKE PIGEONS
OR CATHOLICS.

Maltin: THERE WAS CERTAINLY
POTENTIAL AWKWARDNESS

IN THE CASTING OF
WOODY OPPOSITE

A TEENAGE GIRL IN "MANHATTAN,"

BUT I THINK THAT WAS
DEFUSED IN A LOT OF WAYS

BY HIM FINDING THIS
WONDERFUL YOUNG ACTRESS,

MARIEL HEMINGWAY,

WHO WAS JUST 18 AND WHO GAVE
SUCH A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE

AND BROUGHT SUCH
FEELING TO IT

THAT SHE EVEN GOT
AN OSCAR NOMINATION.

Hemingway: WOODY
MADE ME FEEL

AS THOUGH I WAS
PART OF THE PROCESS.

HE KNEW THAT I WAS SCARED,
HE KNEW I WAS SHY,

HE KNEW I WAS THESE THINGS,
SO HE SPENT TIME WITH ME

OFF THE SET,
TAKING ME TO MUSEUMS

AND MAKING ME AWARE OF

WHAT I PROBABLY
WOULD'VE BEEN AWARE OF

AS THAT YOUNG GIRL
LIVING IN MANHATTAN.

NOW, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN
IN A WOODY ALLEN FILM.

YOU KNOW, HE'S LIKE,
YOU SHOW UP, YOU'RE THE ACTOR

AND HE FIGURES YOU
KNOW WHAT TO DO

AND HE LEAVES YOU ALONE,
BASICALLY.

SO I THINK HE KNEW
UNLESS HE BEFRIENDED ME

OR WE BECAME CLOSE THAT
I WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND,

YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T GET IT.

SO WHEN IT CAME TO
THAT SCENE

AT THE SODA FOUNTAIN

AND HE'S BREAKING UP WITH ME,

THERE WAS THIS NATURAL FEELING
OF BREAKING APART A FAMILY.

THERE WAS A BREAKING
APART OF SOMETHING

THAT HAD BECOME
VERY FAMILIAR TO ME,

BECAUSE I REALLY CARED
ABOUT HIM AS A FRIEND.

I REMEMBER LOOKING HIM
IN THE EYE

AND LISTENING TO
WHAT HE SAID,

AND LISTENING VERY,
VERY CAREFULLY.

THE TRUTH IS THAT I LOVE
SOMEBODY ELSE.

YOU DO?

HEY, COME ON,
YOU... WE... WE...

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
A TEMPORARY FLING.

YOU KNOW THAT.

YOU MET SOMEONE?

WHY SHOULD I FEEL
GUILTY ABOUT THIS?

THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

I'VE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED YOU
TO GO OUT WITH GUYS

MORE YOUR OWN AGE, GUYS...
KIDS FROM YOUR CLASS.

BILLY AND BIFF AND SCOOTER,
YOU KNOW,

LITTLE TOMMY OR TERRY.
I DON'T...

HEY, COME ON,
DON'T CRY.

DON'T CRY.

COME ON, DON'T...
TRACY.

TRACY, DON'T...
COME ON, DON'T CRY, TRACY.

Hemingway: SO WHEN I CRIED,
IT WAS REAL.

JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.

Hemingway: 'CAUSE
I THOUGHT ABOUT,

"OH, THIS TOO WILL END,"
YOU KNOW.

"THIS FAMILY WILL BE GONE
AND I WILL MISS YOU."

Feeney: I DON'T KNOW IF
THE ACT OF FALLING IN LOVE

HAS EVER BEEN DONE WITH
MORE POWER OR MORE ECONOMY

THAN IN THAT MOMENT BY
THE 59th STREET BRIDGE

WHERE WOODY AND DIANE KEATON
ARE SITTING ON THE PARK BENCH

WATCHING THE DAY COME UP.

IT WAS A PAIN
IN THE NECK TO DO

BECAUSE I LIKE TO LIVE
A REGULAR SCHEDULE.

I WENT TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
AND I HAD TO WAKE UP

AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

PLUS, WE HAD TO BRING
OUR OWN BENCH, YOU KNOW,

'CAUSE THERE'S NO BENCH THERE,

AND THEN WE STARTED SHOOTING
AS THE LIGHT CAME UP.

♪

Mary: ISN'T IT
BEAUTIFUL OUT?

Isaac: YEAH,
IT'S REALLY...

REALLY SO PRETTY WHEN
THE LIGHT STARTS TO COME UP.

OH, I KNOW.
I LOVE IT.

THIS IS REALLY
A GREAT CITY.

I DON'T CARE
WHAT ANYBODY SAYS.

IT'S JUST REALLY A KNOCK OUT,
YOU KNOW?

WELL, I THINK I'D
BETTER HEAD BACK.

Allen: WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW
IT WOULD BE ICONIC,

BUT WE KNEW IT WOULD BE PRETTY,
BUT NEVER THINKING

THAT ANYTHING WOULD
COME OF IT OTHER THAN

IT WOULD BE A NICE SCENE
IN THE PICTURE.

♪

Feeney: MOST PEOPLE
TAKE IT AWAY

BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
THEY WANT TO FALL IN LOVE

OR THEY HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE.

IT EITHER PLAYS TO YOUR MEMORY
OR IT PLAYS TO YOUR HOPE.

THAT'S THE SORT OF
REAL TWILIGHT

THAT'S OPERATING
UNDER THAT SHOT.

AND BECAUSE YOU
TAKE IT AWAY WITH YOU,

IT BECOMES, IN SOME WAYS,

THE MOST POWERFUL
SHOT IN THE FILM.

ALL RIGHT,
WHY IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?

THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

Hemingway: YOU KNOW,
THE FINAL SCENE WHEN HE'S

LYING ON THE COUCH
AND REMEMBERING ALL THE THINGS

THAT MAKE HIM HAPPY.

TRACY'S FACE.

Hemingway: AND THEN STOPPING
AND RUNNING

DOWN THE STREET TO THAT MUSIC

AND THEN FINALLY
COMING UP TO THAT DOOR

AND SEEING ME ABOUT TO LEAVE.

I MEAN, IT DOESN'T GET
ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

♪

AND I'M NOT SAYING,
LIKE, "OH, ME!"

THAT WAS A FILM MOMENT
WHERE YOU JUST GO,

"WOW. HOW INCREDIBLE
IS THAT?"

AND THAT'S WHAT'S
INSIDE OF HIM, YOU KNOW.

HE'S A ROMANTIC,
HE'S A MUSH.

WHAT'S BEAUTIFUL
ABOUT THE FINAL SCENE

IS THAT IT'S SO VULNERABLE.

I MEAN, HE WAS SO HONEST
AND PURE IN THAT SCENE,

AND I DO BELIEVE
THAT IT SHOWS HOW TALENTED

HE CAN BE AS AN ACTOR.

ALL THE STUFF GOES AWAY,
YOU KNOW,

ALL THE "I'M A COMEDIC ACTOR"
OR WHATEVER IS GONE

AND HE'S JUST
RIGHT THERE WITH YOU,

AND IT WAS SO...
IT WAS SO SWEET

AND IT WAS SO TOUCHING.

DO YOU STILL LOVE ME,
OR WHAT?

DO YOU LOVE ME?

WELL, YEAH, THAT'S WHY...
YEAH, OF COURSE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT,
YOU KNOW?

I'VE GOT TO MAKE A PLANE.

COME ON, YOU...
COME ON.

YOU DON'T...
YOU DON'T HAVE TO... GO.

WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE
BROUGHT THIS UP LAST WEEK?

TRACY...

SIX MONTHS ISN'T SO LONG.

NOT EVERYBODY
GETS CORRUPTED.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A LITTLE FAITH IN PEOPLE.

♪

Hemingway: IT'S SUCH
A SIMPLE LINE,

"HAVE A LITTLE
FAITH IN PEOPLE."

AND IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING
THAT HE KNEW.

♪

THAT'S A HUGE
STATEMENT FOR HIM.

I MEAN, HE WROTE THE LINE,
YOU KNOW?

I DIDN'T MAKE THAT UP.

♪

Man: TELL ME ABOUT
THE CRITICAL

AND PUBLIC RECEPTION TO
"MANHATTAN," GENERALLY.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T
REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.

WAS IT GOOD?
THEY LIKED IT?

OH, WELL, WE GOT SOME
VERY GOOD REVIEWS.

EVERYBODY LOVED "MANHATTAN."

JUST AS "ANNIE HALL"
HAD BEEN A DEEPENING

OF WHAT HE'D BEEN DOING,
I THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT,

"WOW, 'MANHATTAN'S'
AN EVEN DEEPER

DEEPENING OF WHAT
HE'D BEEN DOING."

THIS FILM WAS BIG.

THERE WAS A GROUND SWELL
THAT HAPPENED AFTER CANNES

THAT JUST WENT CRAZY.

EVERYBODY WENT CRAZY
FOR THIS FILM.

I REMEMBER ITS
OPENING IN NEW YORK.

I MEAN, YOU JUST...

THERE WERE LINES
AROUND THE BLOCK

AND THE REVIEWS
WERE FANTASTIC.

WHEN I WAS FINISHED WITH IT,
I DIDN'T LIKE THE FILM AT ALL.

AND I SAW IT AND...

AND I SPOKE TO UNITED ARTISTS
AT THAT TIME

AND OFFERED TO MAKE A FILM
FOR THEM FOR NOTHING

IF THEY WOULD NOT PUT IT OUT.

I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
"AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE,

IF THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO,

THEY SHOULDN'T GIVE ME
MONEY TO MAKE MOVIES."

WOODY'S NOTION FOR THE FILM
WAS SO MUCH MORE AMBITIOUS,

I THINK, THAN WHAT HE
GOT IN THE END,

OR WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM IT,

THAT HE WAS
EXTRAORDINARILY DISAPPOINTED.

AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW
AUDIENCES HAVE RESPONDED,

'CAUSE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT
HIS HOPE OR DREAM WAS FOR THIS.

THEY JUST TOOK THIS
AND JUST COMPLETELY

LATCHED ONTO IT
IN A WAY THAT I THINK

STILL MYSTIFIES HIM.

AFTER "MANHATTAN,"
THE AUDIENCE WAS READY

TO FOLLOW WOODY ALLEN ANYWHERE.

ANYWHERE EXCEPT
"STARDUST MEMORIES."

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE
FUNNY MOVIES ANYMORE.

THEY CAN'T FORCE ME TO.

YOU KNOW,
I DON'T FEEL FUNNY.

I LOOK AROUND THE WORLD AND ALL
I SEE IS HUMAN SUFFERING.

I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED
IN "STARDUST MEMORIES,"

I SAW IT THREE TIMES
THE WEEK IT OPENED, RIGHT?

'CAUSE I KEPT FEELING
IT'S MY FAULT,

BECAUSE HE WAS UP TO
SOMETHING INTERESTING

EVEN IF I COULDN'T
QUITE BUY IN.

I WANTED TO.
I WANTED TO FIND A WAY PAST.

AND THERE WAS SOMETHING
IN THAT FILM

THAT IS UNIQUE AND ORIGINAL.

THAT WAS MY FAVORITE
FILM FOR A WHILE.

IT WAS MY LEAST POPULAR FILM,

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY MY OWN
PERSONAL FAVORITE.

Feeney: I WOULD BET YOU THAT

WOODY'S FAVORITE MOVIES
WERE THE ONES

WHERE HE FELT HE PULLED OFF
SOMETHING STYLISTIC,

WHERE WE PULLED OFF
AN AMBITIOUS MAGIC TRICK.

"STARDUST MEMORIES,"
I THINK, IS A BIG MAGIC ACT.

YOU KNOW, QUITE APART FROM
ITS INFLUENCE BY FELLINI,

IT'S ESSENTIALLY,
HE'S JUST WORKING HIS MAGIC

AND IN A SENSE MAKING
A STATEMENT ABOUT

BEING A MAGICIAN,
SO TO SPEAK.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT,

THE AUDIENCE DIDN'T FEEL
THAT THEY COULD RELATE TO IT

AS PERSONALLY AS THEY DID
TO THE OTHER FILMS.

YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO
TRY AND MAKE A FILM

ABOUT A MAN WHO HAD

PRESUMABLY TO THE OUTSIDE EYE,
EVERYTHING.

HE HAD MONEY AND HE
WAS FAMOUS,

AND YET, HE HAD COME TO
A POINT IN LIFE WHERE

HE REALIZED STILL THAT HE WAS
STILL GOING TO WIND UP

ON THE JUNK HEAP
WITH EVERYBODY ELSE

AND HIM COMING TO TERMS
WITH THAT IDEA

OVER THE COURSE OF
THIS WEEKEND WHICH REALLY

HAPPENS IN HIS MIND
FOR THE MOST PART.

A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE HE MADE IT,
HE HAD GONE WITH JUDITH CRIST,

WHO WAS THE FILM CRITIC FOR
NEW YORK MAGAZINE AT THE TIME,

TO A WEEKEND SEMINAR
THAT SHE DID ON FILM

AT AN ESTATE TURNED INTO
A HOTEL UP THE HUDSON

ABOUT AN HOUR FROM NEW YORK,
AND HE CAME

AND HE WAS THE GUEST
FOR THE WEEKEND THERE.

AND OUT OF THAT
CAME THIS WHOLE NOTION

THAT HE DID OF THE GUY
HAVING THE CRACK-UP.

WE LOVE YOUR WORK.

MY WIFE HAS SEEN
ALL YOUR FILMS.

I ESPECIALLY LIKE YOUR EARLY,
FUNNY ONES.

MANY PEOPLE SAW THAT FILM AS

ME ATTACKING MY FANS
AND SAYING THE PEOPLE OUT THERE

THAT ARE ENJOYING MY FILMS
ARE CLAWING AND PAWING

AND SILLY LOOKING,
BUT THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO

WITH THE FILM AT ALL.

Lax: THE FILM IS REALLY
ABOUT PROBLEMS OF

AN ARTISTIC SENSIBILITY

AND HOW YOU'RE IN YOUR MIND
OR OUT OF YOUR MIND.

WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO
SAY IN THIS PICTURE?

Sandy: I WAS JUST
TRYING TO BE FUNNY.

HAD YOU STUDIED
FILM MAKING IN SCHOOL?

Sandy: NO, NO, NO.

I DIDN'T STUDY
ANYTHING IN SCHOOL.

THEY STUDIED ME.

Kavner: I KEPT A FILE
OF PHOTOGRAPHS

OF WOODY ALLEN FACES.

THERE WAS SOMETHING HUMOROUS
ABOUT THEM THAT WAS DISTINCTIVE.

SO I WOULD HAVE DRAWERS
OF PICTURES THAT I SAVED

SPECIFICALLY FOR WOODY.

WE REALLY, YOU KNOW,

LOOKED FOR VERY ECCENTRIC,

STRANGE,
HUMOROUS PEOPLE.

THAT WAS PROBABLY
OUR MOST AMBITIOUS

STYLE PIECE TO THAT DATE.

IT WAS A LITTLE MORE EXOTIC
AND FLAMBOYANT

BECAUSE HE WAS

MORE IMPRESSED BY
DIRECTORS WHOSE STYLE

WAS MORE VISUALLY STIMULATING
AND INTERESTING,

YOU KNOW, BERGMAN
AND FELLINI.

Willis: HE HAS GREAT ADMIRATION

FOR A LOT OF FOREIGN DIRECTORS
AND A LOT OF FOREIGN MOVIES.

HE'S NEVER MADE
A SECRET OUT OF THAT.

YOU GET BLAMED FOR

COPYING OTHER MATERIAL,
OR, YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE DOING BERGMAN
AND YOU'RE DOING FELLINI

AND YOU'RE DOING "8 1/2."

BUT WE NEVER DISCUSSED
ANYTHING AT THAT LEVEL EVER,

ANYBODY ELSE'S MOVIES.

THERE'S NO QUESTION OF
FELLINI'S INFLUENCE ON WOODY.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

Feeney: CRITICS WERE
OVEREDUCATED 'CAUSE

THEY'D ALL SEEN "8 1/2"
AND THEY THOUGHT,

"OH, HE'S JUST
REMAKING '8 1/2.'"

I THINK AUDIENCE MEMBERS
WHO DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT "8 1/2"
WERE JUST SORT OF PUT OFF

BY THE STRANGE
BUSYNESS OF IT.

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE
POINT OF THE MOVIE

IS THAT NOBODY IS SAVED.

SANDY, THIS IS AN EASTER FILM.

WE DON'T NEED A MOVIE
BY AN ATHEIST.

ONE MORE, SIR.
TO YOU I'M AN ATHEIST.

TO GOD,
I'M THE LOYAL OPPOSITION.

JESUS.

I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN.
I THINK YOU'RE TERRIFIC.

THANK YOU.

HIS PUBLIC ADORES HIM.

YEAH.
TODAY THEY ADORE YOU

AND TOMORROW IT'S
ONE OF THESE.

Allen: "STARDUST MEMORIES"
IS A COMPLETELY MADE-UP STORY,

AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT,
YOU KNOW,

THAT PEOPLE WOULD THINK
THAT THAT WAS ME.

THE PRESS HATED IT.

HE GOT TERRIBLE
REVIEWS FOR IT.

THE TRUTH IS WOODY
DIDN'T READ REVIEWS.

SO HE WASN'T TERRIBLY
AFFECTED BY REVIEWS.

I READ ALL OF THEM.

YOU GUYS GOT TO TELL ME.

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH
HUMAN SUFFERING?

THIS IS UNANSWERABLE.

IS THERE A GOD?

THESE ARE
THE WRONG QUESTIONS.

LOOK, HERE'S MY POINT.

IF NOTHING LASTS,
WHY AM I BOTHERING

TO MAKE FILMS OR DO ANYTHING
FOR THAT MATTER?

WE ENJOY YOUR FILMS,

PARTICULARLY THE EARLY,
FUNNY ONES.

THE PUBLIC WAS VERY,
VERY GENEROUS WITH ME

AND THE CRITICS WERE VERY
GENEROUS WHEN I STARTED.

THEY OVERLOOKED
ALL MY MISTAKES,

THEY ONLY WROTE
THE NICE THINGS,

AND NOW I THINK
I'M AT THAT STAGE WHERE

I MUST PAY MY DUES
AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

FOR THE MANY TERRIBLE
THINGS THAT I DO.

AND I THINK THAT IN
FUTURE YEARS,

I HAVE A CHANCE TO...
TO COME BACK AGAIN.

AFTER "STARDUST MEMORIES,"
I THINK MANY IN HIS AUDIENCE

WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW,
"HAS HE PLAYED HIMSELF OUT?

WHAT CAN HAPPEN NOW?

IS THIS THE END OF HIM?"

WHEN ARGUABLY, HIS BEST WORK
IS YET TO COME.

♪