One may say that Paris is the most romantic city in the world. I am inclined to say that wherever you are madly in love with someone, whether it is in Paris, Venice, Barcelona or Lagrange, Texas...then that is the place.
There are many who argue that New York City holds that title, whether it is because life is so terribly hard, difficult and miserable most times that the pretty parts stand out or because of those nights when you head out expecting nothing and hours later find yourself in a situation so unexpected if you were not to experience it you could never believe it true. The nights when it snows, the streets are blanketed in silence and the fires at La Lanterna are billowing. The spring when the terraces are filled as the sun rises and sets through the canyons of re bar and glass. The cab rides home from a wonderful date, the noise the rain makes on the falling leaves that find their final resting place on sidewalks. Doormen saying hello as you stroll down Park Avenue in the morning on the way to work. How every scene captured with your eyes has multiple levels, the beautiful girl walking her dog directly in front of you while cars pass behind her in front of buildings reflecting the noise and the sun, further still into the background a glimpse of a bridge, helicopters and planes flying.
And just as every glance is a scene, every person is cinema. They all have stories and many of them are quite interesting and far from banal. At times walking through the city alone I question what's her story? His story? Even that parked car and its history.
A small snippet into this life is available for one's very own viewing by coming here and most importantly staying away from Times Square, Broadway in SoHo and various other places tourist converge. But if your finances limit you from such endeavors the rental of a black and white movie from 1979 will suffice. A movie that is housed in the Library of Congress and was nominated for two Academy Awards.
"Manhattan" is a story centered around four main people and their lives. In it you will view legendary Manhattan venues starting with the opening dialogue scene at Elaine's after an gasping opening of "Rhapsody in Blue" with scenes of the city flashing under Isaac's narration into a tape recorder. The entire soundtrack is done by Gershwin as the writer was inspired to write it from the love of his music.
There's something about an Allen film where in the end one feels as though the weight of the world is off one's shoulders, it feels as such because throughout the chaotic plots everything comes into focus. When focused one realizes that everything, everything that transpires around and inside of you, good and bad is hauntingly beautiful because it is life and that life of your own is worth living and later on at times watching.
In this film, the terribly short, short version is Isaac, in his 40's and twice divorced, is dating a sublimely adorable seventeen year old, Tracy. His best friend, Yale, is having an affair with Mary of which Isaac initially finds intolerable. However one night Isaac and her meet and begin to see each other. He quits his job, moves into a small, dirty apartment, breaks up with Tracy as he always thought her age was proof of the lack of seriousness in their relationship. Life progresses, Yale is conflicted with his marriage, then confronts Mary, Tracy is going to England to study of which Isaac encouraged her to do. He is now alone and find himself in his apartment speaking into the tape recorder once again this time not about Manhattan but what makes life worth living. In doing such he rambles until he comes to a final thought: "Is Tracy's face." He goes to a draw and picks up a harmonica she gave him for his birthday "He Loves and She Loves" comes trickling in, picks up the phone to call her and then puts it down and grabs his jacket.
He runs out into the street looking for a taxi but cannot find one, begins to run and does through the wonderful busy streets, stops at phone to call, no answer, heads through Grammcery Park, until he stops at a door looking in at Tracy with her things in the hallway, the doorman carries her bags out of the building and we watch her brushing her hair until she looks up and sees Isaac. He tells her not to go, that he loves her and tries to convince her as such. She gives reasons why she can't, makes a joke about her turning 18 and how he hurt her and that it is only six months. Isaac is skeptical and it all plays out until Rhapsody in Blue oozes out of the woodwork and this innocent looking, plain 18 year old girl tells him that it isn't that long, that not everyone gets corrupted and that one needs to have a little faith in people. He smiles and it cuts to the Manhattan skyline as Rhapsody in Blue reaches its maximum volume.
Words cannot do the scene justice. It is dark and intimate while naked and exposed, like the city itself it is one of the most beautiful, well constructed and surprising endings in cinema and I'm sure that same scene is playing out on this island as I write this in my small, beautiful apartment as Gershwin floats out open, spring windows.
