In Woody Allen‘s Crimes and Misdemeanors, we’re told that Martin Landau‘s Judah Rosenthal had been taught as a child that the wicked “will be punished for eternity.” It’s this kind of talk that gives Judah pause when his brother Jack (Jerry Orbach) suggests that Judah’s mistress problem (a foundational blackmail threat from Anjelica Huston) can be “taken care of.”
“But as Jack points out, correctly, there aren’t many more assumptions to be made from the fact that Judah has reached out to his shady brother at this juncture.
“It’s not just that he wants Jack to tell him what he wants to hear; Judah also wants to be properly revolted by the suggestion before giving him the go-ahead.” — Jason Bailey, “The Ultimate Woody Allen Film Companion.”
