Parents' Guide to

Manhattan (1979)

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bittersweet romance with mature themes, sex, profanity.

Movie R 1979 96 minutes
Manhattan (1979) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) is feeling more than a little guilty about his romance with Tracy (Mariel Hemingway) in MANHATTAN. She's 17, has an opportunity to study in London, and has her whole life in front of her. He's 42, twice divorced, neurotic, and driven to question why life is worth living. At the same time, Yale (Michael Murphy), Isaac's best friend, also is feeling guilty about his affair with Mary (Diane Keaton). She's divorced, insecure, and needy. He's married, loves her, but loves his wife, too. With George Gershwin's music to guide them all through the hustle and bustle and lingering beauty of New York City, Isaac, Tracy, Yale, and Mary dance the eternal "relationship dance." They examine and reexamine their liaisons, break up, form new allegiances, and fall in love all over again. And beneath the excitement, hurt, joy, and disappointment they enjoy and suffer, they're struggling with the weightiest elements of the human condition: self-respect, integrity, loyalty, fear, and love.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

Adults and certain teens, especially those with an eye for irony and the folly of human behavior, will appreciate this terrific film. After winning multiple Academy Awards for his comic classic Annie Hall in 1977, then delivering his first "serious" film with Interiors in 1978, Woody Allen made "serious comedy" an art form with Manhattan in 1979. The textures, shadows, and light in Gordon Willis' masterful achievement in black-and-white photography, the rich melodies and tones of Gershwin, and the writer-director's ability to find the whimsy and wit in life's most challenging dilemmas, unite to create a movie with inimitable characters, very funny moments, and timeless insights.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the title of this film. How is NYC's borough of Manhattan an integral part of the story? In what ways does the city help define the characters? Can you think of other movies in which the location plays an important part?

  • Why do you think Woody Allen chose George Gershwin's music and used black-and-white film to tell his story? How did it affect your enjoyment of and relationship with the movie?

  • Think about the four main characters. If you identified with any of them, who was it and why? Who was the most mature? Who was the most honest?

Movie Details

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