"Crimes and Misdemeanors"

I've always been a fan of Woody Allen films because I appreciate his sense of humor and the Jewishness played out by every character in every scene. While "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is not a comedy per se, there are a lot of funny moments. Overall, this is a more serious film dealing with the implications of morality. Tonight, I had the opportunity to screen this film as part of Temple Israel's Summer in the City learning series.

I remember seeing C&M once before and enjoyed it as much then as I did tonight. The interesting aspect about tonight's screening was focusing on the movie's metaphor: eyesight.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Judah, an optometrist tries to help a Rabbi regain his vision while the Rabbi tries to help Judah deal with having a two year affair with a neurotic mistress and Judah's decision to have his brother hire someone to kill her. Both men fail to adequately help one another "regain" their "vision." This metaphor plays out in other aspects of the film: Woody Allen's character is blind to the fact that the affair he wants to have can never happen despite his feelings for his crush. His documentary film subject, an esteemed psychology professor, is blind to the positive opportunities that life has and consequently kills himself.

Until tonight, I never thought about watching the movie this way, but it was an amazing opportunity to see the film (and questions of Jewish morality) in a whole new light. The discussion following the film was dynamic in the differing opinions on ethics, each individual's moral code, Woody Allen's stance on the issue as the writer and director, and addressing other related ambiguous questions.

If you haven't already seen "Crimes and Misdemeanors," I highly recommend you check it out.