NEW YORK STORIES
US, 1989, 119 minutes, Colour.
Life Lessons: Nick Nolte, Rosanna Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Peter Gabriel; directed by Martin Scorsese.
Life without Zoe: Heather Mc Comb, Talia Shire, Giancarlo Giannini; directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Oedipus Wrecks: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Julie Kavner, Mae Questel; directed by Woody Allen.
New York Stories is a collection of three stories by master film-makers: Martin Scorsese (script by novelist Richard Price), Francis Coppola (script by himself with his daughter Sofia) and Woody Allen.
The films show various aspects of affluent New York society. Scorsese looks at a fashionable and obsessive artist (Nick Nolte quite effective). Coppola looks at a young girl who lives in a fashionable hotel and her absent parents. Woody Allen presents himself as a fiftyish lawyer still under the influence of his very, very Jewish mother. The latter story is easily the most entertaining. Allen is superb once again as the victim Jewish son with plenty of visual and verbal humour. Mae Questel (the voice for the Betty Boop cartoons in the '30s and '40s) is excellent as the domineering mother. There are also appearances by Mia Farrow and Julie Kavner.
Each of the directors has excellent cinematographers: Nestor Almendros for Scorsese, Vittoria Storaro for Coppola, Sven Nykvist for Allen.
Critics were generally favourable to the Scorsese film but, especially, to the Allen film. Not so favourable to the Coppola episode.
1. The appeal of this kind of collection of short stories: each story in itself, the collection together, New York images. people, themes?
2. The reputation of each director, their skills, styles? Serious? Humorous?
3. Life Lessons: Martin Scorsese and his verve, interest in art, passion, obsession, pressures, love, sexuality, relationships? Lionel, and Nick Nolte as. the bearish artist, his skills, clashes with his agent, seeing him at work, creating his paintings? The preparation for the exhibition? His tantrums? Going to the airport to meet Paulette, their clash, her story, breaking with the stand-up comic? His persuading her to return, leading separate lives? His obsession with her ankle, his passion? His lack of response to her anxiety about her own art? Paulette with her friends, going to the comic performance in the subway, the party and the attraction towards the young man, the liaison? Clash with Lionel? Her desperation. wanting to go home? His own needs? A new proposal at the exhibition?
5. Life Without Zoe: The child, the perspective of the child, the perspective on the parents, lifestyle, the servant in the hotel, the service from the hotel staff, going to school, taxis? Friends at school, sharing, growing up? Abu and the various friends, the elaborate party and the entertainment? In herself, her dreams? Her mother and her travel, glamour? The return, the talk, the possible reconciliation, her mother mixing up the roles of mother and daughter? The father and his skills, playing the flute, the beauty of his music, playing for his daughter? The possibility of reconciliation, the new contracts, his going away? Their all going together to Greece and his successful playing, applause?
6. Oedipus Wrecks: Woody Allen and his contribution: writing, directing, acting? The title and its humour, psychology, the focus on the mother? His interview with the psychiatrist? Sheldon and his work in the law, at meetings, his age, 50? Talking about his dream ? his mother's funeral and her giving directions? Her complaints and his visiting with Lisa, at the meal, his looking terrible, going bald, etcetera? Her continual critique of him? The visit to the office with her sister and her blunt comments about people's behaviour? His relationship with Lisa, with her children? The embarrassment at the meal? Going to the theatre, the magic show? The volunteering of his mother? His delight in the swords going into the box? Her disappearance, his desperation, his joy? The irony of her appearing in the sky, above the New York skyline? Her incessant talking, asking everybody's opinion about her son, nervy and embarrassed, discussions with the psychiatrist, his secrets exposed? His wanting to evade his mother? The media, Mayor Koch and his guest appearance, wanting her to stay because of her pointing out crime? The psychiatrist and his suggestion he go to Treva? As a medium, talking to the ashes? Her visits and not being able to work anything to get rid of his mother? His attack on her, her making the meal and his enjoying it? Lisa and her desperation, leaving? Falling in love with Treva, his mother's approval and her return? Going through the photos of Treva? Treva becoming like his mother? The blend of visual and verbal humour, Woody Allen's insights into the American male, to mothers, relationships?
