Director
Woody Allen
Leading Actors/Actresses
Martin Landau and Woody Allen
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, and Alan Alda
Genre
Existential comedy-drama
Language
English
Awards
Nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Landau, Best Director, and Best Screenplay
Date of Release
October 13, 1989
Producer
Robert Greenhut
Setting and Context
The United States, the late 1900's
Narrator and Point of View
Through the point of view of both Judah Rosenthal and Cliff Stern
Tone and Mood
Comedic, Existential, Solemn, Relativistic, Romantic, Unfaithful, and Philosophical.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Cliff and Judah vs. Desire
Major Conflict
The conflict between the two main characters and themselves as they struggle to navigate their life and infidelity.
Climax
The climax occurs when the women's murder is orchestrated.
Foreshadowing
Ben'going blind is foreshadowed by his lack or morals and lack of proverbial sight of things he must do.
Understatement
The effect of divorce is tremendously understated.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
While not necessarily a cinematic innovation, the multiple storylines in Crimes and Misdemeanors are among the film's most important and intriguing structural features.
Allusions
Allusions to popular culture, mythology, the bible, religion, morality, injustice, and other famous people.
Paradox
Landau's character puts a hit on his mistress yet emerges from the crime unscathed.
Parallelism
No significant instances of parallelism.
