A movie by Woody Allen, released in 1984. It's
narrated by several old Jewish comedians sitting around in the back of a New York deli reminiscing about Broadway Danny Rose. One of them claims he has the best Rose story of all, and thus the movie unfolds.
Rose (played by Allen) is an aging former comedian turned personal manager, a goofy but well-meaning loser with bad plaid pants and a heart of gold. His stable of acts are simply feeble - a blind xylophone player, a balloon-tying "artiste", a one-armed juggler, a woman who plays glasses of water. Though the movie-going audience knows these has-beens and never-weres are not going to hit the big time, Danny believes in them and loyally sticks by them. If any of them do happen to make it, inevitably they summarily leave their agent for a new one.
Rose, one of Allen's most loveable characters, puts paid to the idea that the man has only one persona in his repertoire. Though Rose's gestures and mannerisms are vintage Allen, his character is remarkably sympathetic and charming, not at all the whiny neurotic Allen so often plays.
So anyway, Rose gets a new client, Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte), an aging lounge lizard who, though past his prime and dissipated with womanizing and drinking, can at least sing. The "nostalgia" craze has hit and Canova seems to have a chance at a comeback. Rose is pressed into service to bring Canova's mistress (an unrecognizable Mia Farrow in huge curly wig and sunglasses) to see him sing; the agent has to play the beard because the singer's wife will also be in the audience. Shenanigans prevail: gangsters mistake Rose for someone else and an absurd helium-fueled chase through the warehouse holding the giant Macy's Day Parade balloons ensues. The film is enhanced by a fabulously snappy jazz soundtrack and gorgeous black and white cinematography.
This is one of my favourite Woody Allen films and I highly recommend it. Great fun.