Broadway Danny Rose is a delectable diversion which allows Woody Allen to present a reasonably humane, and amusing gentle character study without sacrificing himself to overly commercial concerns.
Allen’s perfect as a small-time, good-hearted Broadway talent agent, giving his all for a roster of hopeless clients.
Agent’s career is fondly recalled here by a group of Catskill comics (all played by themselves) sitting around over coffee, focusing mainly on Allen’s attempt to revive the career of an aging, overweight, boozing lounge singer, beautifully played by Nick Apollo Forte.
One of Forte’s many problems that Allen must deal with is a floozy of a girlfriend. And it’s truly one of the picture’s early delights that this sunglassed bimbo is actually on screen for several minutes before most of the audience catches on that she’s Mia Farrow.
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Through Forte and Farrow, Allen becomes the target of a couple of hit men.
1984: Nominations: Best Director, Original Screenplay
