The Reluctant Film Art of Woody Allen

For three decades, no American filmmaker has been as prolific—or as paradoxical—as Woody Allen. From Play It Again, Sam (1972) through Celebrity (1998) and Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Allen has produced an average of one film a year, yet in many of these films Allen reveals a progressively skeptical attitude toward both the value of art and the cultural contributions of artists.

In examining Allen's filmmaking career, The Reluctant Film Art of Woody Allen demonstrates that his movies often que...