Crimes and Misdemeanors Literary Elements

Crimes and Misdemeanors Literary Elements

Director

Woody Allen

Leading Actors/Actresses

Martin Landau and Woody Allen

Supporting Actors/Actresses

Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, and Alan Alda

Genre

Existential comedy-drama

Language

English

Awards

Nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Landau, Best Director, and Best Screenplay

Date of Release

October 13, 1989

Producer

Robert Greenhut

Setting and Context

The United States, the late 1900's

Narrator and Point of View

Through the point of view of both Judah Rosenthal and Cliff Stern

Tone and Mood

Comedic, Existential, Solemn, Relativistic, Romantic, Unfaithful, and Philosophical.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Cliff and Judah vs. Desire

Major Conflict

The conflict between the two main characters and themselves as they struggle to navigate their life and infidelity.

Climax

The climax occurs when the women's murder is orchestrated.

Foreshadowing

Ben'going blind is foreshadowed by his lack or morals and lack of proverbial sight of things he must do.

Understatement

The effect of divorce is tremendously understated.

Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques

While not necessarily a cinematic innovation, the multiple storylines in Crimes and Misdemeanors are among the film's most important and intriguing structural features.

Allusions

Allusions to popular culture, mythology, the bible, religion, morality, injustice, and other famous people.

Paradox

Landau's character puts a hit on his mistress yet emerges from the crime unscathed.

Parallelism

No significant instances of parallelism.

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