Here's another of those "Classic Scene" features from "Premiere Magazine"—this one from Woody Allen's Manhattan—featuring an absurdist argument that, if it were a little funnier (although there are a couple "zingers" in here) might have come from a Marx Brothers movie.
Except it isn't that funny, other than in the way of Anton Chekhov, where the the human condition of conflict between the selfish and the selfless clash unreasonably without regard, presenting an argument that has no resolution and is as useless as a current Presidential debate ("the problem isn't with me, it's with you!").
Allen's character Isaac has just found out that the woman he's been seeing—played by Diane Keaton—has decided to go back to her former lover, a uni professor who's cheating on his wife with her. Some need must be fulfilled here, but Allen—to whom this is news—stalks over to the University with his professor-friend to try and grasp what's going on and what could he and she be thinking (if they're thinking at all).
Yale, the professor, won't admit his deviousness, deflecting blame and making excuses, but couching it as if Isaac is just as much to blame for the wrong that's been done to him, but the arguments and counter-arguments fly past each other's heads, never making a mark.
Allen is bobbing and weaving with every new revelation, like he's in the ring with Ali, being pummeled (it was tough to take screen-grabs where he's actually in focus); Michael Murphy, on the other hand, plays it as if he doesn't even know he's in a fight, and is fairly rigid (can you imagine him in class when a student asks a question? "Because it is, okay, why are you challenging me?").
So we're left with Woody's Isaac striking back with every new revelation, and Murphy's Yale not accepting blame and making it seem like it's all Isaac's fault.
It really is a childish argument between two immature males, and probably should have been set in the school-yard and not in a classroom.
The final irony is that, although Tracy, Isaac's "high school sweetheart" is considered too young, she's the most mature one of the bunch.
The Set-Up: Manhattan is the favorite city of Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) but his relationship with it is...complicated. Just like every other relationship he has had. A writer by trade (currently a television writer, but he wants to write books), he is divorced from former wife Jill (Meryl Streep), who has since moved in with her lesbian lover. Isaac is best friends with university professor Yale Pollock (Michael Murphy)—who is married to Emily (Anne Byrne Hoffman) but having an affair with Mary (Diane Keaton)—while Isaac is dating a 17 year old high school student, Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). Yale and Mary are breaking up as it's causing a strain on his marriage, so he encourages Isaac to go out with her...as Tracy is awfully young. Reluctantly, Isaac agrees and their initially testy relationship ends up with them moving in together. But...it's complicated. Eventually, Yale and Mary begin seeing each other again, and Isaac, confused and angry confronts Yale at his job.
A...uh..Action.
Ike and Vale walk through the door to an empty classroom. It looks like an ordinary schoolroom, with its wooden desks and blackboard, except for the two skeletons hanging near the door; they seem to be observing the two friends as they talk.
Ike walks closer to Yale; he now stands next to one of the skeletons. As he talks, he shares the screen with the skeleton's skull, which looks as if it has a perpetual grin. Ike, deep in conversation with Yale, ignores his long-dead scene stealer.
You know, someday we're gonna—we're gonna be like him!
The camera stays focused on the skeleton, its full form shown now, as Ike leaves, then Yale.
Pictures by Gordon Willis and Woody Allen
Manhattan is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from M-G-M Home Entertainment.
