Woody Allen acts across from Diane Keaton and co-writes with Marshall Brickman for the first time since “Manhattan” (1979) in an apt followup: “Manhattan Murder Mystery” (1993). But it’s not a case of reminiscing and laughing about the good ole days. The trio still has great work in them in what turns out to be their last team-up.
Mystery in the city
“MMM” is part of a continuum of cozy big-city mysteries that also includes the recent Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building.” And it goes without saying – since we’re talking about a Woody film lensed by Carlo di Palma – that it’s a Big Apple travelogue. I particularly like the old movie theater that figures into the finale.
“MMM” also calls to mind Larry David’s shows “Seinfeld” (in its heyday in 1993) and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In the latter case, my mind goes there because Allen’s character is named Larry.
“Manhattan Murder Mystery” (1993)
Director: Woody Allen
Writers: Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
Stars: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda
But here, Larry is the grounded one. Granted, Allen gets the good one-liners (“Claustrophobia and a dead body. This is a neurotic’s jackpot!”) as the husband.
But Keaton gets the broader comedy as Carol delights in playing amateur sleuth. Larry initially shoots down his wife’s notion that their apartment-building neighbor Paul (Jerry Adler) murdered his wife (Lynn Cohen) and covered it up. But Larry gets drawn in just as we viewers do.
Precursor to ‘Curb’?
The Liptons are like what Larry and Cheryl David were in early seasons of “Curb” (which recently launched Season 11). Although it makes darkly comedic sense that Cheryl divorces Larry because his neuroses are too much to take, I like the idea of the wife learning to put up with her husband after decades of practice.
Allen and Keaton – whose romantic chemistry is particularly great in the Brickman co-written “Play It Again, Sam” and “Annie Hall” – settle into playing a comfortably married middle-aged couple. (Brickman also co-wrote “Sleeper,” which I don’t care for although many Allen fans love it.)
In one bedtime scene, I think Allen and Keaton break character while laughing about the theory that Paul’s wife is a twin. (This could explain how Carol could’ve seen her on the bus.)
Allen and Brickman write with veteran confidence. “MMM” is a compelling murder mystery, with each wrinkle making things more suspenseful. Yet the comedy never cedes its ground to the nail-biting narrative.
And there’s a third through-line. Carol spends a lot of time with Ted (Alan Alda), who openly loves Carol and whom Carol finds more adventurous than Larry. Meanwhile, Larry, a book publisher, spends a lot of time with authoress/poker player Marcia (Anjelica Houston).
Pitch-perfect light laughs
The film’s humor draws smiles more so than guffaws – but it flirts with the latter. A highlight finds the group of sleuths (which by this point includes Ted and Marcia) trying to entrap Paul with a spliced tape-recording of his lover’s (Melanie Norris) voice. The phone call immediately goes sideways, and soon Larry is fumbling with spools of cassette tape.
We’re not talking about 1970s-level pratfalls, but this is pitch-perfect light entertainment.
It’s partly because it’s a film versus a 10-episode miniseries, but “MMM” has better focus and balance than “Only Murders in the Building.”
Only in its elite moments does “Only Murders” achieve “MMM’s” vibe. I liked Season 1, but I have to admit it gets by on Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez (from Allen’s “A Rainy Day in New York”) playing off each other.
This might be Allen’s best comedy/murder mashup, perhaps because it has no message. It’s about murder in the same way an Agatha Christie novel is about murder. You can safely recommend “Manhattan Murder Mystery” to your parents, but your friend with edgy tastes will like it too.