8. Love And Death (1975)
Allen's 1975 project 'Love and Death' is a satirical view on great Russian literature, especially that of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. It follows the story of Boris (Allen), a pacifist who is forced to join up with the Russian army after Napoleon invades the Russian Empire. Boris is a cowardly individual, but when his love interest Sonja (Diane Keaton) - who also happens to be his cousin twice removed- announces she is to marry another man, Boris feels dejected and goes off to war. Later, Boris returns home to find Sonja recently widowed and the two eventually marry (Sonja only agreeing to the marriage because she believes Boris will be killed in a duel, but he survives). The couples marriage rolls along but things get out of hand when the boisterous Sonja thinks up a radical plan to kill Napoleon, to which Boris reluctantly agrees. At the end of the film we see Sonja escaping punishment, but poor Boris is executed, resulting in a stroll into the unknown accompanied by Death. There is a great scene in which Boris flirts with an aristocratic wife while at the opera and another depicting a battle field, complete with cheer leading for the soldiers and Boris being fired from a cannon. 'Love and Death' includes many anachronisms (Allen's trademark frames to name an obvious one), and contains tongue-in-cheek philosophical debate and questions about mortality and love. It's a bold attempt from Allen to take on big subjects and add comedic affect and down the years he has proved a master at this technique. A classic Woody Allen line from the film is worth repeating: 'There are some things worse than death. If you've ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman, I'm sure you know what I mean.'