This throwback to Woodman classic has Allen starring as Danny Rose, a two-bit theatrical agent in Manhattan, representing the bottom of the barrel -- including a one-armed juggler and the '50s-style crooner Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte in his first and only film appearance to date). Lou turns out to be Danny's only hope for success as the city decides it'd like a taste of kitschy nostalgia -- and soon enough Lou's ego has climbed into the J. Lo strata.

Lou's most pressing demand involves Danny's covert escorting of Lou's mistress Tina (Mia Farrow in her biggest wig and sunglasses getup ever) to Lou's concerts. Not only does Danny ("I'm just the beard!") have to contend with the duplicity with Lou's wife, but he also becomes intertwined in a mob mess, culminating in a high-pitched shootout amongst helium balloons.

Indeed, with such hijinks, it's hard to take much of Rose seriously. The romance that develops between Danny and Tina is obvious and not altogether satisfying -- Farrow's Tina is a Jersey big-hair without many redeeming features. The black and white photography, meant to invoke that sense of nostalgia over Lou's act, just doesn't gel here even though it's lovely. Lou is a circus performer, nothing less, and Danny is the ringmaster. With gangsters squeaking their way through a helium-filled warehouse, the movie begs for larger-than-life Technicolor.

Altogether this is a smaller work in Allen's stable. Good, but not a classic.

Part of The Woody Allen Collection, Set 3.