Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is the story of an insurance investigator who is hypnotized by a crook to steal some jewels with an efficiency expert. The film is another return to some of the earlier comedies of the 1970s that Allen did while infusing it with the suspense films of the 1940s where the film is set. Also starring Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Berkley, David Odgen Stiers, and Wallace Shawn. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is a disappointing and humorless film from Woody Allen.
The film revolves a brilliant insurance expert who is sparring with a new efficiency expert at their office where the two are hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist at a party where they both steal jewels as they’re unaware of their crimes. There, the two reluctantly have to work with each other to discover what is really going on as suspicion is occurring over the thefts. It’s an interesting concept as it is set in 1940 where it plays into that world of crime and mystery but Woody Allen’s screenplay often gets a bit repetitive at times where the humor is often forced at times while some of the plotting doesn’t have any weight to the story. Notably in the tumultuous love-hate relationship in its lead characters in investigator C.W. Briggs (Woody Allen) and the efficiency expert Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt) where they bicker and fall in love and so on. It’s that aspect in the script that really bogs the story down though there are a few moments that are funny but the eventual payoff in confronting the true criminal is disappointing.
Allen’s direction is quite straightforward as he aims to go for something that is reminiscent of the mystery films of the past though he wisely doesn’t go for any kind of voice-over narration. The compositions do have some flair in some of the tracking shots and wide shots to display the feel and chaos of the office though some of the intimate moments don’t have that same spark. Notably as there’s a lack of real suspense in many of the mysterious aspects of the film where it’s more about Briggs and Fitzgerald bickering and trying to find out what’s really going on. Even as its outcome is a bit flat and predictable where it becomes quite obvious and doesn’t really have a sense of surprise or fulfillment that endings have. Overall, Allen creates a film that doesn’t have much weight or broad humor despite a few moments that keeps the film being a total failure.
Cinematographer Zhao Fei does fantastic work with the film‘s photography as it has a lot of style in its look as well as its approach to lighting for many of its interior settings as it‘s one of the film‘s big highlights. Editor Alisa Lepselter does nice work with the editing to play up some of the humorous moments and montages of the thefts that happen throughout the film. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Jessica Lanier and art director Tom Warren, does amazing work with the set pieces from the office that Briggs and Fitzgerald work at to some of the places they go to in their investigation.
Costume designer Suzanne McCabe does brilliant work with the costumes with the look of the many dresses the female characters wear from simple and colorful to more radiant and dazzling in its different looks. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound to play up some of the atmosphere in the office as well as some of the scenes in the theft. The film’s excellent soundtrack includes a lot of jazz music from Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Harry James, and several others.
The casting by Laura Rosenthal and Juliet Taylor is superb as it includes some notable appearances from Brian Markinson as a fellow investigator of Briggs, Wallace Shawn as another investigator/amateur magician who would play a key role in unveiling the mystery in the third act, Elizabeth Berkley as a secretary that works in the office, and David Odgen Stiers as the hypnotist Voltan who is the mastermind of the thefts. Dan Aykroyd is terrific as the company boss Chris Magruder who is having an affair with Fitzgerald while Charlize Theron is amazing as the seductive socialite Laura Kensington who tries to seduce Briggs.
Helen Hunt is alright as Betty Ann Fitzgerald as she brings some energy to her role though she’s not given enough material to make her character more interesting. Finally there’s Woody Allen as C.W. Briggs where Allen is miscast in a role that requires a much stronger personality where Allen brings a different spin on his persona but doesn’t really put a lot of effort into his character while he and Hunt have no chemistry in the scenes they have with each other.
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is a terrible film from Woody Allen despite some of its technical moments and Charlize Theron’s supporting performance. While there are moments that are worth watching, it’s not enough due to its lack of suspense while the humor feels flat. In the end, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is a misguided and underwhelming film from Woody Allen.
Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet and Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)
The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2013
Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Mighty Aphrodite is the story about a man who wants to know who is the real mother of his adopted son as he learns that she’s a prostitute where he decides to give her a better life. Inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, the film explores a man’s desire to improve a young woman’s life as it is told by a Greek chorus. Also starring Helena Bohnam Carter, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rapaport, Peter Weller, and F. Murray Abraham. Mighty Aphrodite is a charming yet exhilarating film from Woody Allen.
The film revolves around a sports writer who is amazed by his adopted son’s intelligence as he wants to know who is his real mother. Upon learning that she’s a prostitute, he decides to help giving her a better life in the hopes that his adopted son would be proud of her if ever meets her. It’s a film where a man is eager to help this ditzy but kind-hearted prostitute/porn actress get the chance for a better life. Even as he’s dealing with a marriage that is losing its passion as his wife is being drawn to an art dealer. All of it is told by a Greek chorus who pops into the story every once in a while to help this man do something or to warn him of the consequence he might bring.
Woody Allen’s script is filled with some humor and drama as it is largely driven by its protagonist Lenny Weinrib (Woody Allen) as he was someone who was hesitant about having a child until Max (Jimmy McQuaid) comes into his world as he enjoys fatherhood. With his marriage to Amanda (Helena Bohnam Carter) kind of losing its luster, Lenny goes on the journey to find out who is Max’s mother as it is revealed in the form of this prostitute named Linda Ash (Mira Sorvino). Linda is a very interesting character as she is someone who isn’t very bright as she comes from a very dysfunctional family but has aspirations to go to Broadway but still does trick and a porn gig every once in a while. It prompts Lenny to do something to help this young woman to have a good life where he would try to set her up with a boxer named Kevin (Michael Rapaport) where Lenny’s own life would have some revelations of its own.
Allen’s direction is quite straightforward though there’s elements of styles in some of the long shots he creates as well as the scenes of the Greek chorus as it’s shot in Sicily. The Greek chorus scenes are filled with some dance numbers choreographed by Graciela Daniele as it’s often lively but also help to tell the story. Even as the Greek chorus leader (F. Murray Abraham) would pop in the story to give Lenny some advice. It adds the sense of a man wanting to do something for this young woman who seems to go nowhere while not telling her that he’s the adopted father of her son. Though it’s a film that doesn’t play with traditional structure in order to play with the idea of reality and fiction. It does manage to find a balance in the story that it wants to tell as the overall result is a very fascinating yet heartfelt film from Woody Allen.
Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the low-key yet colorful look of some of the film‘s interiors to the more straightforward exterior scenes in the film. Editor Susan E. Morse does nice work with the editing from the transitions to go from the main story to the Greek chorus to a few montages to play up Linda‘s evolution. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Susan Bode and art director Tom Warren, does amazing work with the set pieces from Linda‘s apartment to the place where the Greek chorus tell their story.
Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland does brilliant work with the costumes from the clothes that Linda wears to the robes the Greek chorus wears. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound to create an atmosphere in the locations as well as the scenes involving the Greek chorus. The film’s soundtrack consists of traditional Greek music mixed in with jazz and classical music to play up some of its humor and drama.
The casting by Juliet Taylor is fantastic for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Paul Giamatti as an adoption agent, Tony Sirico as a boxing trainer, Jimmy McQuaid as Lenny and Amanda’s adopted son Max, and Claire Bloom as Amanda’s mother. F. Murray Abraham is excellent as the Greek chorus leader while Olympia Dukakis, Jack Warden, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, Danielle Ferland, and David Odgen Stiers make wonderful appearances as famous Greek gods commenting on the story or revealing some news that would impact the story. Peter Weller is terrific as an art dealer who tries to woo Amanda while Michael Rapaport is superb as a boxer who is set up to meet Linda.
Mira Sorvino is brilliant as Linda Ash as this very ditzy but well-meaning young woman who is very uncertain about her life until she meets Lenny where she becomes a proper lady as it’s really a majestic breakthrough for Sorvino. Helena Bohnam Carter is amazing as Amanda as a woman dealing with the changes in her marriage to Lenny while being wooed by this art dealer as she’s unsure if she’s in love with Lenny or the art dealer. Woody Allen is great as Lenny Weinrib as a man whose concern for his son’s future has him going into a journey where Allen brings a sense of wit and warmth to his role as it’s one of his finest performances.
Mighty Aphrodite is a remarkable film from Woody Allen that features a radiant Mira Sorvino in her breakthrough performance as well as an incredible cast that includes Helena Bohnam Carter, Michael Rapaport, and F. Murray Abraham. The film is a nice mix of humor and drama where it has a bit of non-conventional storytelling but also a sweetness that is endearing to watch. In the end, Mighty Aphrodite is a fabulous film from Woody Allen.
Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)
The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2013
