Heady stuff for a wacky comedy

Rating: 7/10 (18 October 1999)

This "Early" Woody Allen movie may be the best all-out comedy he's ever done. I remember the comparisons made between Mel Brooks and Allen before "Annie Hall", but Brooks can't hold a candle to what Allen can do. This movie is layered with truth the way earlier European expressionist movies are (and which he would explore more fully in later movies), except this is a lot funnier. Not at all like other 70s Allen films like "Everything you ever wanted to know about sex" or even "Bananas". This is very sardonic, heady stuff for a wacky comedy.
One of my favorite scenes of all time is about how Napoleon is trying to compete with Wellington by making a better pastry.