Around the World With Woody Allen’s ‘To Rome With Love,’ More (VIDEO)
To Rome With Love has us pining for pizzas (and a night with Penelope Cruz). But it's hardly Woody Allen's first ode to a great foreign city. Take a look at the director's tributes to Paris, London, and more.
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‘To Rome With Love’ (Rome)
In the mood for a European vacation? You’re in luck—so is Woody Allen. The legendary New Yorker is dipping a toe in Italy with his new film, To Rome With Love. Costarring Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, and Penélope Cruz, the movie follows a series of intertwined characters living out their Roman fantasies. Here’s hoping the film is a charming example of la bella vita. Ciao!
‘Midnight in Paris’ (Paris)
Who wouldn’t want to take a midnight trip to Paris? Allen’s 2011 hit tells the story of a family’s trip to Paris and their subsequent romantic adventures. After watching this clip of the movie’s opening, you’ll feel like you’ve just whirled through the city of lights.
‘Match Point’ (London)
London, tennis, or Scarlett Johansson—can you guess which is Woody Allen’s muse? His 2005 film Match Point followed a twisted love story through the streets of London, with Johansson catching the eye of every man in sight.
‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ (Barcelona)
Is there really any part of Europe Woody Allen has left unturned? His 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona told the story of two young women who escaped to the Spanish countryside for a summer jaunt. As you can guess, their adventures were far more titillating than those of a typical summer vacation, thanks in part to their love interest, played by Javier Bardem.
‘Manhattan’ (New York)
If there’s one thing New Yorkers love more than anything, it’s films that pay homage to New York. Allen’s Manhattan did just that in 1979, with a complicated love story to boot. Can you catch the similarities between this classic opening scene and Allen’s introduction to Midnight in Paris?
‘Mighty Aphrodite’ (Greek chorus scenes filmed in Sicily)
Genius kids come from genius parents, right? Not exactly. The 1995 film Mighty Aphrodite followed Allen’s quest to track down his brainy son’s birth mother. While the movie took place in Allen’s native New York, the Greek chorus that narrated the story was filmed on location in Sicily.