Crimes and Misdemeanors
In Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, most characters are consumed by questions of love and morality and the places where the two meet.
Judah's conflict clearly involves both love and morality, but more importantly, his problems deal with his essential psychological dichotomy: the disconnect between the outer self he has cultivated over the years and the inner self who threatens the sanctity and comfort of his outer life.
As Judah faces the potential revelation of his affair with Delores, he is mainly concerned with the destruction of the image he presents to most of the world - Judah the prominent ophthalmologist, the devoted husband, the loving father, the pillar of the Jewish community is about to be revealed as a common philanderer.
The Judah who has sneaked around with Delores for two years is incompatible with his public self, and yet, he must face that this too is a part of his essential character.
Judah's decision to keep Delores quiet at all costs is his attempt to silence the inner self of which he is ashamed.
However, the tragedy is that Delores is merely a symptom of his divided self, and her death does nothing to relieve his suffering; in fact, he is just as obsessed and worried after she is dead. Judah's problems come from within, and his attempts to blame outside forces fail miserably.
The divisions in Judah's character become evident in the first scene of the movie, where Judah is being honored for his accomplishments in the community. As he is introduced, we hear about his vast knowledge of all things, his expertise as an ophthalmologist and his generally affable nature.
The image Judah has presented to the world is seemingly flawless. Yet, with the close up of Judah's face, we see his discomfort with this praise.
Judah, it seems, knows that the outside world doesn't truly know him; he knows himself to have secrets no one at the banquet would ever guess.
The concept of Judah's dual selves is elaborated in the next scene at his home, which has taken place earlier in the day before the banquet. His secret inner life, known only to him and Delores, threatens his outer life when he intercepts a revealing letter from Delores to his wife Miriam. It is important to note that Judah's main concern upon reading the letter is not the desperate situation Delores finds herself, nor is it her apparent depression. Judah is concerned that his own infidelities would have been laid bare but his fortuitous interception of the letter. He now sees that his inner and outer selves can no longer peacefully coexist and something must be done to preserve his public persona (and thus his marriage, which is an important part of her image). The burning of the letter symbolizes the ritualistic destruction of the threat to his life, and the interspersing of his reading of the letter along with his banquet speech emphasizes the dichotomy within Judah's mind.
When we first meet Judah's lover, Delores, there is a stark contrast between her image, which is consistent both publicly and privately, and Judah's image. In her first shot, she appears as if she is in disguise, wearing a scarf to conceal her hair and dark glasses. There is something furtive about her demeanor as she enters her apartment and encounters Judah waiting for her.
In her appearance (and in attitude, as we soon see), she is the opposite of Judah - emotional where he is reserved, honest where he is not. In their conversation, Judah clearly sees himself as the victim in the situation, despite the fact that he has had a relationship with Delores for two years. In pleading with Delores, Judah talks about how he has been wronged, how he is suffering. "Are you trying to ruin my life, my family?" he asks Delores, disregarding what ruin has come to her as a result of their relationship. Here again we see Judah's conflicted self; he can no longer admit to his true feelings for Delores once his public image is threatened, and he works to maintain his outer self at all costs. Although Judah cites a desire to keep his marriage intact as the reason for wanting Delores's silence, he is once again dishonest. He does not mention an abiding love for his wife nor any real regret for his infidelity; instead, he tells Delores that he has "lived with Miriam for 25 years" and can't just leave her now. The public Judah, the one respected by friends...
In "Crime's" conclusion, set at Ben's daughter's wedding, Ben, who is the film's true just and loving man, copes with inevitable blindness, dancing sightless with his daughter the bride, as self-important Judah justifies the "crime" he has committed -- albeit told to Stern at the wedding, in a folkloric way). Judah has literally gotten away with murder. It is bleak, grim and evil triumphs. It is Allen at his darkest
Larry Nassar and the Risks of US Women’s Gymnastics American gymnastics, particularly women’s gymnastics, has been one of the most popular summer Olympic sports for many decades. Even during non-Olympic years, it has a large following among young girls and their families. Many young girls dream of being the next Shannon Miller or Mary Lou Retton. Unfortunately, pursuit of these high athletic goals comes at a high price for some children.
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