Crimes and Misdemeanors

How this film uses it

Allen runs 2 completely different films at the same time, Judah's moral thriller and Clifford's romantic comedy. He never lets them connect until the final scene. The contrast between the 2 tones is how the film shows that the universe treats different kinds of failure very differently.

Where to see it

The cut between Judah's murder plot and Clifford's hapless documentary work. The same film holds both without resolving them. The gap in tone between them is the subject.

How this film uses it

Judah discovers that the universe doesn't punish murder. His crime goes undetected, his life continues and God's eyes aren't watching. Knowing that he is free destroys his old sense of right and wrong more completely than punishment could have.

Where to see it

Judah at the wedding reception, telling Clifford his 'story'. The murderer asks the filmmaker to imagine a crime with no divine consequence. The made-up scenario is a barely hidden confession.

How this film uses it

Judah is a respected man, a loving father and a philanthropist, and there is nothing monstrous about him. He commits his crime to protect the life he has built, and he takes no pleasure in cruelty. The horror of the film is how normal the killer is.

Where to see it

Judah's fantasy of a family seder at his childhood home, where his devout father argues for God's justice. The father stands for a moral code. The son has discovered that the code only promises consequences and does nothing to prevent the crime.

How this film uses it

Sven Nykvist (Ingmar Bergman's longtime cinematographer) uses shadow expressively in the Judah storyline. The moral darkness of the murder plot is shown in chiaroscuro, which is strong contrast between light and dark. The Clifford comedy escapes it entirely.

Where to see it

Judah's scenes after the murder. Nykvist's shadows deepen around him. The light in his life literally pulls back as the moral weight of what he has done piles up.