SMALL TIME CROOKS

US, 2000, 94 minutes, Colour.
Woody Allen, Tracey Ullman, Hugh Grant, Elaine May, Jon Lovitz, Michael Rappaport, Elaine Stritch.
Directed by Woody Allen.

Small Time Crooks is a return to the very early days of Woody Allen comedies. Thirty years after Take the Money and Run, Woody Allen is again a small time crook. However, the film also traces the themes of Allen's films over the following thirty years: himself as the small and even neurotic hero (but in this film there is no suggestion of counselling or therapy); there are the excellent parts written for women (and Tracey Ullman is excellent in this film); there are problems of relationships; there are the images of New York City; though this time looking out at New Jersey; there is the contrast between the pretentious art and wealthy world of Manhattan and ordinary citizens; there are the themes
of human nature and being oneself.

The film is very funny indeed and is Allen's most successful film at the box office for many decades (helped by distribution by Dreamworks). The first part of the film shows the inept crooks trying to dig a tunnel into a bank and finishing up in a dress shop. Tracey Ullman, playing Woody Allen's wife, is the front as she makes cookies and is most successful, even having to hire her dim cousin, May (Elaine May, the comic and writer in an excellent performance). After a year, the company is a multi million dollar concern and the film pokes fun at the world of big business and enterprise as well as the ineptness of the group in running it. From here the film moves into an explicit Pygmalion theme as Frenchy, the wife, wants to improve herself and asks a very cultured Englishman to help her; Hugh Grant (with his usual mannered performance).

Things go wrong and people have to assess where they really stand. There are many one liners and quite a number of reasonable belly laughs as well.

1. The comedy of Woody Allen? Verbal, visual, characters, situations, interactions, irony? (The absence of Jewish humour in this film?) Woody Allen making films after thirty years?

2. The Manhattan settings, the contrast between the ordinary houses and the palatial mansions, big business offices, the decor, especially Frenchy's attempt at culture and art? The streets of New York and the cookie shop? The range of the musical score, especially the theme song of, With Only the Money and You?

3. The title and its irony? The film playing through this particular theme?

4. The relationship between Ray and Frenchie? 25 years married, her being faithful while he was in prison, his ineptitude and getting into prison? The irony of his being nicknamed The Brain in prison? His great scheme for the robbery, wanting the $6000? The interaction between himself and Frenchy, her observations, her ironies? Bossing him around? The arrival of the friends and their being inept as well? The love between Ray and Frenchy, her finally giving in? Her cookies and her being the front for the venture?

5. The irony of their work in making the tunnel; the drill, the water, the map upside down, going in the wrong directions? Ray and his being the boss, the reaction of his three friends? The irony of wanting to lease the shop and finding that Benny had been there before them? Benny and his contribution? The wrong tunnels? The policeman catching them; and wanting to be in on the action? Franchise?

6. Frenchy and her background in topless dancing, Ray teaching her how to break into a safe? The ironic romantic relationship? Her bossing him around, telling him he was ignorant? The cookies, her decision to front the shop? Her
success, the growing number of customers, the comedy with the customers? Getting May, May and her speaking plainly, telling everybody about the expansion? The comedy with Frenchy and May?

7. The passing of one year and the irony of the success of the business? The de luxe offices, the stately mansion, the range of art and Frenchy designing? Ray and his exasperation, for example with the harp? The menus and the European food? French and her clothes, wanting to break into society? The dinner and the Eliza Doolittle kind of language and behaviour? People whispering behind her back? Meeting David and being charmed by him?

8. Frenchy and her ambitions to change, asking David to coach her? His taking her to galleries, to opera? The irony of Ray and liking the frame better than the picture, going to sleep in the avant garde play? Suspicions of David? Frenchy and her lessons, changing clothes, becoming stylish, learning all the
A words in the dictionary and wanting to move on to B; and her using them in conversation with society?

9. David, the suave Englishman, the art dealer? His friend and his plan to marry Frenchy; or at least get her money? His suave manner, the gift of the copy of Pygmalion? Her giving him the Duke of Windsor's cigarette case? The trip to Europe?

10. Ray and his growing away from Frenchy, her warning him that this would happen? His wanting to go out and play cards, meeting May and having Chinese food and pizza, watching White Heat? The ride on the ferry and their actually talking?

11. Ray and his plan for robbing Chi Chi's necklace? Getting the fake made, scouting the house? Taking May to the party and putting her on post; and her saying this? Her talking about the weather? The parallels between May and Eliza Doolittle as well as Frenchy and Eliza Doolittle? The party, Chi Chi and her husband, the guests, the widower charmed by May and wanting to see her? Ray and his robbing of the safe, May on lookout, Chi Chi coming and Ray mixing up the two necklaces?

12. His hearing of the bankruptcy? Frenchy and her having to come back from Europe, the two fraud investigators and their explaining how she had lost everything? Her philosophical attitude, easy come, easy go? Talking to David, his wanting the money and his anger? Her feeling she had learnt a lesson about life? Ray's return and the irony of her seeing that he had the fake necklace? Her smashing it? The realisation that they needed each other, the reconciliation; and the happy ending?

13. The picture of the small time crooks and their world and ineptitude? The contrast with the ineptitude and the cattiness of rich and arty society? The more genial people in the small time crooks; world as well as Chi Chi in the
rich world?

14. The indebtedness of the screenplay to Pygmalion? Woody Allen and his ability with one liners, jokes; and the sequences where he was telling the very bad jokes and thinking he was a great success?