Life Worth Living

After a trip to the big city two weeks ago, a Manhattan hangover still lingers. Following the remedy of “the hair of the dog that bit me,” I rented “Manhattan" (1979).

The colorless imagery captures the glory of the city from countless perspectives: the art museums, restaurants, city streets, Central Park at night from a horse drawn carriage, and the magnificent skyline. The signature image is the bridge shot, a scene that captures moments of intimacy just before dawn. Dwarfing the cinematography is the script. “Manhattan” was nominated for a best screenplay Oscar in 1980, and has one great Woody Allen one-liner after another. After he quits his job as a TV writer, Isaac (Woody Allen) describes his financial plight. One of my favorite lines occurs in a scene where Isaac and Mary (Diane Keaton) are strolling at night getting to know each other after an art opening. After Isaac tells Mary his ex-wife left him for another woman, she asks if he has any children.

Isaac - “Yeah, I have a kid. He’s being raised by two women.”
Mary - “Two mothers are absolutely fine.”
Isaac - “I always feel very few people survive one mother.”

Toward the end of the film, Isaac is laying on a couch dictating writing ideas…

"Why is life worth living? It's a very good question. Um...Well, There are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. uh...Like what... okay...um...For me, uh... ooh... I would say ... what, Groucho Marx, to name one thing... uh...um... and Willie Mays... and um ... the 2nd movement of the Jupiter Symphony ... and um... Louis Armstrong, recording of Potato Head Blues ... um ... Swedish movies, naturally ... Sentimental Education by Flaubert ... uh... Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra ... um ... those incredible Apples and Pears by Cezanne... uh...the crabs at Sam Wo's... uh... Tracy's face ..."

What makes your life worth living?