Magic in the Moonlight - Woody Allen

   I just saw the movie this afternoon. An Eglish aristocratic intellectual gnostic (attractive guy) is brought by a friend to debunk an American (attractive girl) who has the fame of a medium. She has access to the unseen world. Both he and she are engaged - to different people: he to an attractive intellectual (unseen) and she to an absurdly boyish son of unspeakable wealth. The background is the '20's wild, easy life brought home with great New Orleans Jazz (Al Hirt), Cole Porter, etc. and vintage '20s cars which you are put in to drive around lucious mountain seascapes. The message is almost absurdly center stage and the fun of it and the gorgeous scenery are almost awkwardly at the service of getting the question stated: is  there a world of mystery, beauty and love (God as Creator and Purposeful Designer becomes quite explicit) beyond the sensually ecstatic on the one hand, and the boiler-plate, drab cotidien and depressive on the other. It even explicitly bluts out"is there a God?" It's quite shocking to hear that in an American movie.

 Of course, he and she fall in love with each other  after fun reversals which proves the point. It is a beautiful dance worthy of "My Fair Lady," "An Affair to Remember" and "Sleepless in Seatle," but it carries more punch than the three because the big question on the table is, "is there a God." The protagonist even begins to explicitly pray for the life of his aunt, but suddenly shakes himself out of the "delusion" he is falling into. It's a Woody Allen movie revealing what is most probably going on in Woody in real life. I think it's a good watch, and certainly fun while the large question is played out before you. It ends in a kiss.