Broadway Danny Rose brings one word to mind: Agita! The amount of times this song is played or sang in the film is in the double digits. That said, it is extremely catchy and absurd enough to compliment the rising action of such an ingeniously bizarre plotline.
Danny Rose (Woody Allen) is a theatrical agent who works to bring to light miscellaneous, "understated" acts like the Jascha Heifetz of singing glasses or the expert balloon-animal makers, apparently ready to leave the scene of six-year-old birthday parties to make their debut on Broadway. However, aside from most of Danny's codswallop investments, he does represent one stout, Italian man with a decent voice.
The story begins when Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte) lands a job at an esteemed club and insists that his mistress Tina (Mia Farrow) be there to calm his nerves. And so commences Danny's crusade to bring Tina to watch Lou sing. In the process, Danny must assuage the heated temper of Tina, who is fuming after hearing that her lover was seen out with "a cheap blonde" -- which is funny and ironic if you take a look at Tina's garish, blonde mound of hair. But cooling Tina off is only the first of Danny's difficulties. As it turns out, Tina's ex-boyfriend and his family mistake Danny to be Tina's new lover. It should also be noted that they are part of the mob... and thus begins a goose chase large enough to include mafia men, the nerves of Danny Rose and the poor, unfortunate Barney Dunn (Herb Reynolds) (aka the worst ventriloquist ever).
It's no secret that Woody Allen plays himself in every film he acts in, but Danny Rose might be one of Allen's best renditions of himself onscreen. Allen's character is always whiny and neurotic, but there's just something about a mob-driven goose chase that makes Danny's persona that much funnier. Whether it's between Danny's plenty of failed attempts at civil negotiation or his insistence to run back to his apartment to grab his "pills and shorts" amidst the chaos, you get quite the picture of what would happen if Woody Allen ever found himself dodging bullets. He would probably have to Agita! Quickly.
REVIEW: 'Broadway Danny Rose'
It's no secret that Woody Allen plays himself in every film he acts in, butmight be one of Allen's best renditions of himself onscreen.
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