Manhattan

Set against a crisp New York backdrop, Manhattan follows Isaac Davis, a middle-aged television writer who wields sarcasm as his shield. He dates Tracy, a much younger woman, while his best friend Yale leads a complex life with his own partner. When Isaac becomes drawn to Mary Wilkie, Yale's mistress, he confronts competing desires, social expectations, and the messy moral terrain of urban romance. The city itself feels like a character, with contrast photography that captures the glow of 70s nights and mornings. The film tracks how one man tries to balance career, friendship, and a growing attraction that could upend everything. The film balances humor with melancholy as Isaac wrestles with priorities, fidelity, and the lure of adult choice.

Released in 1979, Manhattan was directed by Woody Allen, with a screenplay by Allen and Marshall Brickman. It’s an original story rather than an adaptation, highlighting Allen's urban romance sensibility as United Artists distributed the film.

The film earned roughly 40.2 million worldwide, against a budget of about 9 million. Its box office success helped cement Woody Allen's status in prestige cinema at the time. It demonstrated that art house and broad appeal could coexist.

Shot in high-contrast black and white, Manhattan helped define a late-1970s urban romance space with its stylish, witty dialogue and city as a moral barometer. The cinematography by Gordon Willis turns rain slick streets and glowing windows into visual storytelling, lending the New York backdrop a noir glow. The film reinforced Allen's image as a precise observer of relationships and urban life, influencing how cities became characters in indie prestige cinema.

Critics praised its wit, visual style, and emotional honesty, though some debated its moral stance. The film tests desire against loyalty, with a brisk, character driven tapestry that asks how affection intersects with responsibility in a modern city. Scholars often cite its frank treatment of sexuality and age differences as a defining moment in how cinema asks audiences to think about adult choices.