Broadway Danny Rose Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: Broadway Danny Rose
Year: 1984
Director: Woody Allen
Country: US
Language: English

Of all the Woody Allen films I've watched, Broadway Danny Rose was the hardest to locate. Luckily the distribution label Twilight Time has a limited edition blu-ray which you can find on the Screen Archives Entertainment website for approximately $30 US. Personally, I feel like the 1980's was the Director's boom period. Allen collaborated with his then lover Mia Farrow to create masterpiece after masterpiece. The majority of the pictures were introspective and brooding (Crimes and Masterpieces) but he was also able to make fun chaotic romps. 

In his attempts to reconcile a lounge singer (Nick Forte) with his mistress (Mia Farrow), a hapless talent agent (Woody Allen) is mistaken as her lover by a jealous gangster.

The thirteenth feature film directed by Woody Allen, Broadway Danny Rose is also one of his favorites along with Purple Rose of Cairo. During his relationship with Mia Farrow Woody Allen loved to write roles for Farrow that she had always wanted to play but couldn't because no one would believe her as that particular character. Even though she was already an established actress by the mid-80's most people in the film industry couldn't see the seemingly fragile woman being able to play a convincing Italian woman, but Allen was so sure of her talent that he wrote the screenplay specifically so she could play the part. Remarkably Farrow's performance as Tina Vitale is a real treasure. It's a complete transformation from her usual roles and definitely does show her versatility. 

The main character, Danny Rose, is one of Woody Allen's most touching characters. The skating penguins and singing parrots who are Danny's clients fit perfectly in the world of poor show-biz. Rose is a man with a dream, but has a lot of bumps throughout his struggle to the top. This particular bump (being chased by a jealous gangster) is hilarious. The notoriously neurotic actor/director places his character in a situation where panic would be completely understandable, even welcomed. Among the most gratifying things about ''Broadway Danny Rose,'' which is one of Mr. Allen's more modest films, is the almost flawless dialogue which never lets the story down.

The costumes, this time by Jeffrey Kurland, and the production design, by Mel Bourne, are subtly hilarious throughout. Dick Hyman's score and Susan E. Morse's editing are perfectly apt. And Gordon Willis, again working in black and white, manages to do exquisite photographic work in some very unlikely places. Everything works in this beautiful picture. Praise it! 4.5/5