SWEET AND LOWDOWN

US, 1999, 92 minutes, Colour.
Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Anthony La Paglia, Brian Markinson, Gretchen Mol, Uma Thurman, James Urbaniak, John Waters, Woody Allen.
Directed by Woody Allen.

Sweet and Lowdown is a return to gentler and funnier comedy after such films as Deconstructing Harry and Celebrity. Woody Allen appears throughout the film as himself talking about why he was telling the story of guitar player of the '30s, Emmet Ray. As with Broadway Danny Rose and other films, it is Woody Allen spinning a yarn. He has other witnesses (as in Reds and Bob Roberts) who also vouch for the stories and their embellishments. However, it is an amusing and creative invention by Allen himself.

The film re-creates the atmosphere of the '30s very, very well. It also has some excellent guitar playing. The performances are also excellent, especially Sean Penn bringing the character of Emmet Ray and all his eccentricities and egocentric simplicity alive. Samantha Morton also stands out as Hattie, the mute girl whom he befriends and, unknown to himself, loves. There are other cameos in the film from such stars as Uma Thurman as a rich society woman who marries Ray, and Anthony La Paglia as a criminal. Director John Waters appears briefly as the hotel manager.

Woody Allen has always spoken of his indebtedness to Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini. Stardust Memories was considered as Allen's 8 and a Half. Celebrity seems to be his La Dolce Vita. Sweet and Lowdown seems to be his La Strada, especially with the performance by Samantha Morton, so reminiscent of Giulietta Masina in La Strada (and of such waifs as Paulette Goddard in Modern Times). The ending is also very similar to La Strada. This is very popular Woody Allen material, beautifully made.

1. The work of Woody Allen? This film in his canon? Woody Allen as a longtime raconteur of shaggy dog stories, his inventiveness, embroidering and embellishment? The stories of the US, music, artistry, celebrity? Jazz and the '30s?

2. The device of the witnesses including Allen himself as testifying to the stories about Emmet Ray, the deejays, the writers and their earnest presentations to the screen and the audience of what Emmet Ray was like?

3. New York and New Jersey, Pennsylvania? Allen going more broadly than New York City? The re-creation of the '30s, the clubs, the homes, colour, decor, costumes, cars etc?

4. The contribution of the music, the guitar playing? The inclusion of the songs at various times - sharing the joy of the music? The symbolic titles and lyrics of the songs for the life of Emmet Ray: 'I'll See You In My Dreams', 'Exactly Like You', 'My Melancholy Baby', 'Unfaithful Woman', 'Dancing in the Dark', 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' - used especially at the end?

5. Emmet Ray and his reputation, Sean Penn and his appearance, moustache, walk, comic facial expressions, way of talking? The story of his fainting at the recitals of Django Reinhardt? The introduction to him after the expectations of his skill as a pimp, his ineffectiveness with the girls, the man dying of the heart attack...? Unreliable, late, drinking, playing pool, betting? Yet the beauty of his playing, the response of the audiences? His girlfriends? Yet the comment that he was holding in his emotions? His own self-image, gift from God, explanations of himself as an artist - and rationalising his way of life?

6. With the group, their playing, yet self-centred? The episode with the moon and his wanting to come down on the moon, the designing and painting, the comedy of the moon and his burning it?

7. His day off and his going out with Billy? The encounter with Gracie and Hattie (and the witnesses giving folkloric interpretation)? His not willing to be with Hattie, tossing the coin? Billy and the buxom Grace and their enjoyment of life together? Emmet and Hattie unable to talk, not right in the head? Yet his growing dependence on her, talking, her eating, delight in his company, eagerness as regards sex and his surprise? Hattie's devotion to him, following him? The gifts? Ultimately Emmet walking out and hurting her? His attempt at confession and reconciliation with her at the end?

8. The portrait of Hattie: the waif, mute, less intelligent but actually shrewd? A niceness? Emmet and his devotion to her, yet his not realising it? Being nice to her, taking her to Hollywood even after giving her the speech, allowing her to give him birthday gifts despite the budget? Yet his hurting her, her going back to the laundry? Her later remarriage and having the baby? (Echoes of Gelsomina in La Strada?)

9. Emmet and his being picked up by the society women, going to play with them, taking them to the house, sex, four days away, the expensive taxi? His being sacked by the hotel manager?

10. The black friends, their playing together, the woman making the chilli? His being at home in this society? Yet the irony of his kleptomania?

11. The invitation to go to Hollywood, talking it over with Hattie and her going with him? His playing in the short feature - and smiling on-camera? The anecdote about Hattie, the casting manager and the director, her going into the film, the collage of kisses with the leading man, Emmet taking her away from Hollywood?

12. His performances, the stories about Blanche? Her class, clothes, writer, asking intimate questions about his playing? Their talk, sharing, her enjoying going to shoot the rats? Their marriage? The witnesses and their comments on the marriage?

13. Emmet and his pleasure in going to the dump and shooting rats - and the reaction of the various women? Hattie learning to shoot, Blanche enjoying it, Ellie and her disgust? His also watching trains and the various women sharing that experience?

14. Blanche and her wanting to get the job back for Emmet, the encounter with Al Torrio, the boss and his reinstatement, her affair with Torrio?

15. The effect on Emmet, his hiding in the car - and the three different stories about what happened in the shop: the robbery and the arrest, Al showing off and trying to rob the shop himself, the car crash and Emmet meeting the group of players and going off with them?

16. Recording in New York? Seeing Hattie, the reconciliation after confession?

17. Ellie, taking her out, the reaction to the trains and the rats? His further confession, his smashing the guitar and his weeping? 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'?

18. Emmet's understanding of himself as a genius, as an artist? A loner and an egotist? Quite unself-aware? The comparisons always with Django Reinhardt - and the joke about him being in the audience and Emmet running away? Comparisons and references to Reinhardt? His excusing himself because he was an artist? Yet an engaging set of characters, echoes of the Damon Runyon school of offbeat criminals, the comic and farcical touches - Americana? The title summing it up?