Manhattan, 1979

Plot Summary:
The film Manhattan is directed by, written by and stars Woody Allen. In the film Allen plays Isaac Davis, a small, pessimistic, self-absorbed man, who falls prey to a succession of failed relationships. His first wife, a kindergarten teacher, gets into drugs and therefore Ike ends his relationship with her. His second wife, played by Meryl Streep, has an affair with another woman and leaves Ike for her. She later writes a book about their failed marriage and rocky divorce.
This succession of destructive relationships finally changes when Mary Wilke, played by Diane Keaton, provides Ike with the tough lesson that finally teaches him what he really wants: happiness instead of trouble. Ike meets Mary through his best friend, Yale, who is having an affair with her. Yale’s conscious gets the best of him, so he eventually leaves Mary and stays with his wife. At this point Mary and Ike start dating and soon fall in love. In the beginning of their relationship the neurotic, anxiety ridden Mary warns Ike not to get involved with her because “[she’s] trouble”. Eventually Mary starts seeing Yale again and discovers that she is still in love with him. Yale leaves his wife, Mary leaves Ike and the two of them get back together. After this traumatic split Ike realizes that he doesn’t want anymore trouble. He’d rather be with someone that selflessly loves and respects him, this person being his teenage ex-girlfriend Tracy.
Tracy is another main female character in the film, but unlike the other major characters she is kind, genuine, loving, compassionate, and selfless. Tracy’s role in the movie is to redeem alienated Ike, and provide a romantic ideal. Although only seventeen, Tracy is the only truly mature, considerate, and stable character. She knows what she wants, Ike, and is willing to make sacrifices in order for their relationship to work. In the end of the film, Ike runs back to Tracy, who is just about to leave for acting school in London. Ike begs Tracy to stay, but she stays assertive and level-headed by following her original plan, but agreeing to try and make a long-distance relationship work with Ike.

What Was Going on Historically in 1979:
Manhattan was released in 1979, the same year that the NOW National Board declares a State of Emergency on the Equal Rights Amendment. The board pledges full resources to winning the deadline extension and to ongoing ratification campaigns, since the bill was not passed. The amendment states that men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. This amendment is brought up in the film in a speech given at a charity black-tie event that both Mary and Ike are attending. The woman giving the speech jokes that thanks to the ERA they can all be at the event. It appears that she thinks the passing of the ERA would not make any significant changes in society because women’s rights have already been established on their own; an amendment does not need to be passed in order to make sure that these rights are guaranteed.

Mise En Scene Analysis:
The film centers on relationships and the powerfulness, grandeur, and mysticism of New York. The human characters are dwarfed by the city’s grandeur, both visually and metaphorically. The city is portrayed as powerful and assertive, in contrast to all of the major characters, except for teen aged Tracy, who are confused, indecisive, and predominately self-absorbed. The beginning of the film is made up of a succession of long shots, in which people appear minuscule against the looming skyscrapers of the city. The long shots help to establish the setting, Manhattan, and provide a reoccurring element of the main characters almost being overcome by the grandeur of the city. Allen also decided not to use color, but rather make it a white and black motion picture to help add to the romantic feel.
Throughout the film, Allen consciously uses elements of mise en scene to add to the romantic, yet simultaneously realistic feel of the movie. Although his portrayal of the city of Manhattan is romanticized, his portrayal of human relationships is not. Allen uses minimal cutting to add to the film’s realism. Many of the scenes go on for long periods of time and literally follow the characters without jumping to different angles or close-ups. By using a minimal amount of cutting it makes the film seem more realistic, as if you were actually there watching the events happen.
Another element of mise en scene that Allen masterfully utilizes is music. He uses music to heighten emotions in the scenes and provide a rhythm to the film. Near the end of the movie, Mary breaks up with Ike because she wants to get back with Yale. Ike is confused and overwhelmed with Mary’s decision because it comes so unexpectedly. To convey these feelings, Allen uses fast pace music, making the audience experience the frenzy and confusion Ike is experiencing at that particular moment.
In the final scene of the movie music is also used to help convey Ike’s emotions. Ike is sitting on his sofa, thinking about what a “terrific kid” Tracy is. A cut to a close-up of Tracy’s face is shown, and then it jumps back to Ike on the sofa as slow music begins to play. Ike gets up from the sofa as the music builds up and gets out the harmonica Tracy gave him as a present, he moves back to the sofa and takes a seat as the music slows down again. The music shows the emotions building up in Ike as he thinks about his lost love, Tracy. Suddenly, Ike gets up from the couch and runs out the door, as fast paced, marching/band music starts playing. The upbeat music continues all the way to Tracy’s apartment. Once he gets there, slow, romantic music begins to play as Ike sees beautiful Tracy down the hall. The peaceful music slowly starts to fade as the reunited lovers begin their dialogue. Once again, Allen uses music to create the shifting mood of the film and emotional roller coaster Ike is riding on.

Ways the Film Comments on Gender, Sexuality, and Relationships:
Like his male characters, the female characters in Manhattan are emotionally flawed but not in stereotypical ways. Most people associate females with passiveness, fragility, and co dependence, but Allen’s female characters are flawed in ways that are almost identical to the flaws of the male characters. They are self-absorbed, neurotic, anxious, and indecisive. Allen develops his female characters more fully than most other directors and features no hysterical women or bimbos in a majority of his films.
Although Allen is paired as the lead with a much younger woman, Tracy, this is neither unique to Allen nor necessarily a fault. Many real life relationships are between older men and much younger women. Furthermore, American cinema is filled with pairings of older men and younger women, from Casablanca to Pretty Woman. The relationship Allen portrays between Tracy and Ike, is neither perverse nor exploitative. Allen presents Tracy in affectionate terms that respect her character, intelligence, and independence, and show her deriving satisfaction from the relationship. After all, she is the only level-headed and genuine person in the film. When Ike breaks up with her, she does not begin to hysterically cry, but responds as anyone would who has just been dumped by the person they love.
In Manhattan, Allen realistically portrays romantic relationships. He does not over-glamorize or romanticize them. His characters get in fights, talk about sex, have affairs, and are often indecisive about what they really want, just like many people are in real life. Allen teaches us that once you have something good, hold onto it, don't be afraid to be happy. Ike learns this lesson the hard way, after his break-up with Mary. Tracy was a perfect lover and companion, and above all else never made Ike feel inadequate. Ike finally realizes this at the end of the film and runs back to Tracy's accepting arms.

Memorable Quotes:
"You always think you are going to be the one who makes them act different." -Ike
This quote is said by Ike to Mary when he is talking about his past relationships. Ike always gets involved with "troubled" females and blames this character flaw on his desire to help them become better people. Ike learns the hard way that after a certain point people don't charge; they are who they are. This quote represents a misapprehension many people have when entering relationships. Oftentimes a person thinks that they can change the other person for the better, but rarely does this actually happen. A person will only change if they see their own shortcomings and are open to changing them.
""Six months isn't too long...have a little faith in me." -Tracy
This quote is said by Tracy at the end of the movie, just as she is about to leave for her flight to London. It shows the problem Ike has had all along, a lack of faith in the only person that really deserves to have faith put in them. Throughout the film Tracy has been the only decisive, assertive, and straightforward character, always letting Ike know how much she cares about him and how she wants them to have a serious relationship, not just a casual fling. Ike, on the other hand, is apprehensive about getting too serious with Tracy because of how young she is. Tracy wants to be with Ike, so she is willing to try a long distance relationship. The only problem is that Ike will finally have to "have faith" in Tracy.