This film is obviously not for everyone, not even for everyone who likes Woody Allen. I like it a lot, partly for the awesome all-star cast, partly for the blending of comedy (i.e., Woody's usual schlemiel self) with drama (a deranged killer loose on the streets of a fog-shrouded town at night). I'm not going to go into a lot of details on the film, anyone can pick them up between the other user comments, external and newsgroup reviews. The main reason I'm adding my two cents worth is no one seems to have noticed, or commented on one of the film's underlying themes: that of anti-semitism in Europe apparently between world wars. For instance, the "Mintz" family is picked up by the police as a convenient scapegoat for the recent murders despite Kleinman's (Woody Allen) assertion that they are "lovely people." Shortly afterwards, Kleinman goes to the local church to make a donation on behalf of Irmy (Mia Farrow) and finds the priest and a policeman making up a list of people that also includes himself. I can't quite put my finger on it, but he seems to be referring to the start of Hitler's persecution of Jews in Germany prior to WW II. Of course this theme is woven in with several others regarding marital fidelity, prostitution, insanity and the nature of mob- mentality; but it does seem interesting that everyone motivated enough to write something about this film pro or con seems to have overlooked, or intentionally ignored.
Review of Shadows and Fog
