Eventually, though, the film has to have a putative reason to bring it to a denouement, and this film’s reason is that Boris and Sonja decide to assassinate Napoleon (James Tolkan) by pretending to be Spanish nobility. Boris gets caught, while Sonja (who is the object of the Emperor’s affections) escapes. Boris has an angelic vision that he will be pardoned, but it is false, and he ends up dead.
The DVD, put out by MGM, is in terrific shape, with one side of the DVD in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, while the other is in the widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio. As is par for the course with all Allen films on DVD, there is only an original theatrical trailer, but no DVD commentary. The film excels with Ghislain Cloquet’s lush cinematography, and editor Ralph Rosenblum’s razor sharp editing, which never lets a gag go on too long. But, aside from Allen’s writing, the film excels with its use of music from Sergei Prokofiev, especially the opening and closing sharp and lighthearted Troika, from the "Lieutenant Kije Suite".
The film succeeds and holds relevance today because its references and humor are timeless, but also because it works whether you get the references or not. Thus, it is both low and high comedy, and no one has ever done that better than Woody Allen, be it getting shot out of a cannon, or psychobabbling with Diane Keaton over objectivity vs. subjectivity. Yes, it is not as deep and alternately hilarious as later Allen masterpieces like Hannah And Her Sisters or Crimes And Misdemeanors, but it is every bit as enjoyable, and that’s more than can be said for the bulk of films out there. Just ask your Village Idiot!
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