One of my all time favorites.

Better Late Then Never

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This is my favorite Woody Allen film. Fill stop.Allen plays a terrible petty criminal. Not terrible as in a bad person, but terrible as in terrible at his... Uh, profession. Describing the plot any further would be a waste of your time and mine, but there are so many great scenes and I do want to mention a couple to intime would-be viewers to sit down and watch the damn thing. Take, for instance, when Allen's character fails to rob a bank because the bankteller couldn't read his handwriting on the note he passed her. What follows is a small gather of bank employees huddled together, trying to decrypt the note while Allen argues with them.In another scene, we find out hero imprisoned. He agrees to some jailhouse experiments in exchange for freedom. The doc injects him with a cure for whatever, then check on him sometime later. He was sitting there, with a huge beard, dressed in Rabbi's garments and explaining Passover to his fellow inmates. Finally, and chronologically firstly, we see Allen's character playing cello in a marching band. The band matches around as Allen run along to keep up with them, before playing the cello for a few seconds then repeating it all. As you can see, the humor in this movie draws on the absurd, and like great absurdist works, it's a pure joy from start to finish.

The first triple attempt for Woody Allen in Movies as Writer, directer and leading actor in his own mis-adventures about a clumsy, misguided two bit nebish of a crook Virgil Starkwell. This mockumentary focuses on the turbulent times of bank robber Virgil Starkwell.The deep rich vocals of Jackson Beck are provided during this entire movie as they are narrated in a solemn, stern plausible style. Conversely the comical in-depth interview by old friends. convicts and his parents complete with Groucho Marx masks as to not reveal their identities to the viewers.Virgil's diligent planning for the perfect bank holdup including a egotistical Euopean Director. But alas his poor wife played by Janet Margolin is not appreciated as Virgil whines, "I can't wear a beige shirt to a bank robbery!" Bumbling bank holdups and failed robbery attempts are the norm for this comedy. These hilarious scenes are shown despite the serious narration. Favorite moment is when the Starkwell's Virgil and his wife are doing math homework with their son, during a heated car chase from the law. Bullets are flying toward the Starkwell's car as Virgil fires back with pistil in hand,but sonny boy needs to get the math homework completed. In a cops and robbers style car chase multitasking is the normal for our blundering bespectacled rogue. Plenty of hilarious scenes throughout this early work of Woody Allen where crime in this case does PAY!

This is a documentary about incompetent criminal Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen). He was born in 1935 as an only child. It's childhood of petty crimes and really bad cello playing. He tries to steal from an armor truck but his gun turns out to be a lighter. He's arrested and tries to escape with a gun carved out of soap. When he finally gets out, he falls for Louise (Janet Margolin). He is even unable to steal her purse. He is again arrested for a badly misspelled bank robbery.Woody Allen has written a series of really ridiculous situations. It's an extended skit comedy. The ideas may be funny but the execution isn't. There are funny bits but mostly the jokes fall flat. It would be great if Louise is played by a funny comedian. I keep picturing a young Carol Kane. It's early in Allen's directing career and he hasn't figured it out yet.

I will give Woody Allen credit for being very adept at the art of slapstick comedy,and this film is loaded with many a laughable moment.What I can't seem to escape is Mr. Allen always almost always has to throw his disbelief of God in our faces by mocking God in some way.After having seen a few of his films now,I'm getting a little fed up with that aspect.We get it,Woody.You don't believe in God,and you find it laughable that there are people who do believe.I would call this a good film if I could get past that point,but I can't,and it's a shame,because Woody Allen could easily be placed in the same class as the Marx Brothers when it comes to his talent.He probably is put in that class by many,but certainly not by me.