Manhattan

film by Allen [1979]

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July 15, 2026

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Manhattan (1979) is a film directed by and starring Woody Allen. Lyrically photographed in black-and-white by Gordon Willis, the film is an ode to New York City. The screenplay, by Allen and Marshall Brickman, was nominated for an Academy Award. The plot centers on a television writer, played by Allen, who seeks a more meaningful career and a less complicated love life. He becomes involved with a 17-year-old acting student, as well as his best friend's mistress. Considered more polished and less sentimental than Annie Hall, Manhattan is seen by some as Allen's best film.1

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Woody Allen
The 1970s
Allen rebounded with Manhattan (1979). Lyrically photographed (in black-and-white, by Gordon Willis), deftly written (by Allen and Brickman, whose screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award), and wonderfully scored (with music by George Gershwin), it was an ode to the city that Allen loved. The plot centered on…
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Allen rebounded with Manhattan (1979). Lyrically photographed (in black-and-white, by Gordon Willis), deftly written (by Allen and Brickman, whose screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award), and wonderfully scored (with music by George Gershwin), it was an ode to the city that Allen loved. The plot centered on…
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Wallace Shawn
…role in director Woody Allen’s Manhattan, and his “second career” soon led to his first brush with international fame.
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…role in director Woody Allen’s Manhattan, and his “second career” soon led to his first brush with international fame.
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