Broadway Danny Rose(1984)

Broadway Danny Rose(1984) is a Romantic comedy written and directed by Woody Allen. The film tells the story of Danny Rose(Played by woody Allen himself) a Broadway Manger.

Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow,

Plot and Summary:

The entire film is a narration of a group of comedians about Danny a famous Broadway manager and his interesting tales. One of them starts the story about him and the singer Lou Cannova.

Danny is arguing with the manager trying to book one of his shows. Danny is know for having all weird show people and never let's anybody away and has a personal touch with them. He is always criticized for managing weird acts( balloon folders, parrot bicyclers, glass music, etc). He is now managing Lou Cannova a musician trying to make a comeback in the show business. Danny is the personal assistant for Lou , he selects his song suits and literally is a friend to him staying him. 

Lou is married but has a love affair with Tina( played by Mia Farrow). It's Lou's big night and he is nervous and wants Tina to come to his performance. He sends Danny to pick her up. Tina finds out that Lou has been cheating on her and decides not to come. This is where the adventure begins where Danny persuades Tina to come with him.

Tina is a strong willed and confident lady while, Danny's character is a typical woody Allen lead role- always tensed, never wracking and nervous. She is furious at both Lou and Danny. She storms out and Danny goes after her.

Tina has been in a lot of relationships before with many mob bosses and thugs and she is not as afraid as Danny is. They go to a retreat of an Italian mob boss who was an ex-lover of Mia's. She tries to reason with him but he blabbers something about their time in Italy. The mob boss is a peculiar one he is soft spoken and is madly in love with Tina Meanwhile the people in the retreat are under the impression that Danny is the current lover of the Tina and the mob boss wants him dead. Both Danny and Tina run out of the retreat and the chase begins

Mia and Danny develop a good friendship throughout the journey, they talk about their childhood past life and relationships, Danny is quite surprised at Mia's life. Mia also develops a secret attraction towards Danny but she doesn't know it yet. At one point they leave a diner and head on foot to flee away from the gangsters. They get caught, get tied up and in a comic adventure then return home at last. They way they escape and all the kidnappings scenes are super comic! I don't think I must have laughed so hard in an English movie!

Danny invites Mia to her home and then they go to see Lou, he is in a bad shape. they fix him up and make him ready for the show. the show is a hit and after it gets over. Lou (after compelling argument with Mia in her previous discussion with him) fires Danny in front of her. Danny feels cheated and broken and walks out. This scene is most heard breaking out of the film where both Danny and Lou separate in a very real manner. Lou is a success and he gets divorced and moves in with Mia. But Mia is guilty and always in a bad mood and she finally leaved Lou.

Its thanksgiving dinner and Danny is with all his performers having turkey with them. Tina knocks on his door to ask for his forgiveness and Danny refuses to speak with her. She leaves finally,  Danny running and making up with her( in front of the Deli the narration began!) This ends the narration and finally the comedian tells that the best award for Danny was a sandwich getting named after him

Verdict

This is one of the early movies in Woody Allen's carrier, it is quite different from the films he made later.One of the best his best films ever, this film is filled with all his elements, sarcasm, comedy emotions, comic portrayal of characters etc. One of the few films which you see get good quality comedy on screen.

 Woody Allen is at his best with his characteristic style and sarcasm. There is also some good emotions in the film when he goes and sees the guy who got beat up for him and the scene where he and Lou have a fight. Though his recent films are not so much up to the mark, I wish he makes some more good ones in the future.