Subtitles downloaded from www.OpenSubtitles.org
'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."
[ "SING, SING SING" PLAYING ]
Diane Keaton: [ GIGGLES ]
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.
[Laughs] 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.
[Laughs] 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?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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?
[High-pitched voice] 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?
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
THEY WANTED HIM TO BE A PHARMACIST.
HE WAS THE WRONG PERSON BORN TO THOSE PARENTS.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
[ SWING PLAYING ]
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.
[ TRAIN CHUGS ]
[ GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA'S "MOONLIGHT SERENADE" PLAYING ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
OH, REALLY?
YEAH.
IT WAS.
IF -- IF I COULD HAVE BEEN OLDER AT THE TIME,
I THINK I COULD'VE CARRIED IT OFF MORE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
MY GRANDFATHER, ON HIS DEATHBED,
SOLD ME THIS WATCH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ FOLK MUSIC PLAYING ]
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.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I'LL JUST GRAB MY LID.
GIVE ME A LITTLE PROTECTION.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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.
[ PLAYING JAZZ ]
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.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ CLARINET PLAYING JAZZ ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ JAZZ PLAYING ]
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.
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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."
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Rollins: HE HAD A HEAVY TELEVISION EXPOSURE,
AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS WHAT BUILDS NATIONAL FIGURES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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 ♪
[ WHINES ]
♪ HELL-- HELLO ♪
[ WHINES ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND ONE IS THE POONER, AND ONE IS THE POONEE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
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: [LAUGHS] THAT'S UNCANNY.
YES. FIRST ONE TO REACH THE -- THE POONATORIUM IS THE WINNER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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...
[ LAUGHTER ]
I WAS JUST SITTING HERE TRYING TO FIGURE WHICH --
HOW WE GOING TO SPLIT 'EM UP,
YOU KNOW -- WHO GETS WHICH ONE?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
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.
[ LAUGHING ]
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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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.
[ LAUGHS ]
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.
[ CRASH ]
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.
[ EXPLOSION ]
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.
DID YOU HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT?
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.
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ MOANING ]
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."
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Man: READY, AIM, FIRE.
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
OH, LET'S SEE.
21. WHO HAS 21?
Man: READY, AIM, FIRE. [ GUNSHOT ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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!
[ INDISTINCT MURMURING ]
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.
[ LAUGHS ]
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!
[Laughing] I CAN'T.
[ LAUGHTER ]
MILES, I COOKED YOUR FAVORITE,
A NICE BOWL OF HOT SELTZER WATER.
[ LAUGHS ]
Allen: I MEAN, I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.
I TRIED AND I TRIED AND I TRIED.
SORRY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
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."
♪
[ MAN WHISTLES ]
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.
[ LAUGHS ]
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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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?
[ SIGHS ]
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?
[ LAUGHS ] 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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
WELL,
BYE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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.
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
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 --
[ SNEEZES ]
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?"
[ LAUGHS ]
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?
[ SIGHS ]
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.
[ SIGHS ]
I JUST HATE MY LIFE!
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
[ INDISTINCT ARGUING ]
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.
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."
[ TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING ]
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.
[ SIGHS ]
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.
[ CHUCKLES ]
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.
[ SIGHS ]
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."
[ LAUGHS ]
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.
[ LAUGHTER ]
HAD YOU STUDIED FILM MAKING IN SCHOOL?
Sandy: NO, NO, NO.
I DIDN'T STUDY ANYTHING IN SCHOOL.
THEY STUDIED ME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
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.
[Laughing] 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.
[ LAUGHS ]
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.
♪
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