Woody Allen and what's true

Over the years I've written in this blog about famous people including Woody Allen. Maybe my favourite is this one.  He and I were in a barber shop in New York City and my shirt spoke to him, but I didn't. Lately HBO in the USA and Fox Showcase here in Australia have been airing a mini-series titled "Allen v. Farrow." The series features the relevant events circa 1992, when a child sex scandal involving Dylan Farrow, their adopted daughter, and Woody became national and international news.

The producers have done a marvellous job in blending history and interviews, information sourced from hundreds of boxes formerly hidden the last 2+ decades and the music of Orlando Perez Rosso, Miguel Bezanilla and David Das. It's a captivating series so far.

What prompts my writing today before the series finale next week is a line I heard in episode 3. Mia looks into the camera and quotes Woody. 

"It doesn't matter what is true; what matters is what's believed." - attributed to Woody Allen.

If that's a direct quote, that's significant to the writer/ director/ actor's case. Even if it's not a direct quote, it made me think today about matters of faith and religion as well as epistemology. 

Two XIX century authors said this about truth--

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all

    Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."  (John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn, 1820).  

And this one, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813)

Whatever these two romantics inferred, consider this from The Bard. 

"When my love swears that she is made of truth, 

I do believe her, though I know she lies."

In this 138th Sonnet, Shakespeare preferred the deception of his lover's lie to the truth. And he uses the term "I do believe her." 

What is it about 'faith' and 'belief' that is considered a trump card to truth? Why do we choose to believe a falsehood when we know better?

The following is from Sociology of Religion, Volume 38, Issue 4, Winter 1977, Pages 368–388, Actually only the Abstract. I do not have access to the article itself.

"The accommodation between social science and religion of recent decades depended in part on the widespread conviction that there is no scientific basis for determining whether religious beliefs are true and whether religious practices are good. This conviction is based on dubious assumptions that have blinded sociologists to the judgments concerning religious beliefs and practice that are implicit in their theories. Put simply, general theory has implied that although there is much in religion that is good, religious beliefs are not true."

I guess the Allen v Farrow series triggered a lot of emotions in me.  Truth really does matter. What actually happened or didn't happen matters. What people say matters. And then, if we are honest, honest to what we perceive to be true, or what the truth-tellers say about truth, then we should believe those truths. 

Sociologist Ron McGivern wrote in a Soc 101 book printed in Canada this about religion/ belief systems:

"What is religion? Pioneer sociologist Émile Durkheim described it with the ethereal statement that it consists of “things that surpass the limits of our knowledge” (1915). He went on to elaborate: Religion is “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say set apart and forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community, called a church, all those who adhere to them” (1915). Some people associate religion with places of worship (a synagogue or church), others with a practice (confession or meditation), and still others with a concept that guides their daily lives (like dharma or sin). All of these people can agree that religion is a system of beliefs, values, and practices concerning what a person holds sacred or considers to be spiritually significant."(https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter-15-religion/) 

Children are taught about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny in some circles. And the 'oh, just let them have their imagination and beliefs' dismissal of the narrative doesn't sit well with some truth-tellers. Here's the problem. Faith or belief should follow truth. 

I don't believe and thus a thought is true. I find truth and thus I should believe it. 

Gravity is true and always was true, long before Sir Isaac Newton discovered and clarified much scientific data about it. That people believe in gravity or not is irrelevant. If you don't believe it exists, please don't walk off the top of a roof of a skyscraper. Your 'faith' will not save you; you will die. 

Faith therefore should follow substantiated truth claims. 

We love the stories of heroes who rise in the midst of overwhelming odds and win battles against oppressors or who defeat much larger enemies in the boxing ring or the football field or in a land far away. The reason those hero-stories are so vivid is that they are so rarely found. Most of the time the lesser is ruled by the dominant. Most of the time the weaker team loses to the stronger. Most of the time the house wins in Las Vegas to the disappointment of the 'believing' jackpot loser.  Faith doesn't make things happen in most of those stories. 

In real life, in your life, in my life today, let's let truth dominate. Things like facts matter. Truth matters. Sorry, Woody Allen, the truth does matter. There really is no Easter Bunny. There really is gravity. 

Here's another set of truths that I discovered long after my birth. Jesus really did exist. He really did live in what we now call Israel. He really did die at the hands of Roman soldiers. They really did bury him in a sealed tomb. After three days, over 500 Jews really saw him alive; many ate with him and talked with him after his death. 

What you believe about those facts...that's where you make your religion. That's when you either dismiss or take this on board. Faith really should follow substantiated truth claims. Amen?

If I could speak with Woody Allen...

Would Woody Allen want to talk to me about this incident which involved him? I'll hope so. Maybe he's still asking this question...

The year was around 1985. The scene was the Upper West Side in New York City. Specifically it was inside Leo's Barber shop on 73rd and Amsterdam. About 11 a.m. on a weekday. I was inside the shop and Leo was cutting my hair. His shop was unusually empty. He depended on a steady flow of customers to pay the bills. He was originally from Italy. I was the only one inside with him on a normal workday-- that seemed odd. I asked him why.

He told me that Mr Woody Allen had hired the shop from midday and that I was the last customer of the day. Seemed that Woody had hired the shop for a previous movie he made, and that he and Leo had 'a relationship' of sorts. I did note a photo of Woody on the wall behind me. And if Woody were going to take the whole place, I wondered what movie it might be. Leo didn't know.

A few moments later, almost on cue, two men entered dismissing the "Closed" sign on the door. It was Woody and an offsider, no doubt. Here was a movie legend, producer, director, writer, and here I was getting my haircut under the cape, and under the efficient tonsorial wizardry of Leo. I really wanted to speak with him. I was, after all, wearing a "Jews for Jesus" tshirt like this one pictured.  And Woody is a famous Jewish man, and dealt with stories of angst and the search for meaning and such. But he was in a class way above mine...

So I let it go. He was busy anyway, discussing so many things with his offsider. Leo finished my haircut and he took the hair-capturing cape off me. I arose from the barber chair. And Woody looked at me, or rather my shirt. He looked away. Then he did a double-take, looking back at the shirt. And that's when I should have said something. But I didn't. I'm sorry to this day that I didn't. Regrets, I have a few.

I left and didn't think about this episode particularly again for months. Then the next Woody Allen movie came out entitled, "Hannah and her sisters."  (1986) It was a typical Allen film with a great cast (Mia Farrow, Dianne Weist, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Michael Caine, Barbara Hershey, Richard Jenkins, Carrie Fisher...) and the problems of life and the meaning of life. The Allen character in the movie is (mis)diagnosed with a brain tumor and he begins seriously even investigating religion and spirituality. He is, of course, a Jewish man in the role he plays, and his search for meaning actually takes him to the Catholic church and he seeks to convert. The scenes that follow are comic, real, disclosing and helpful for anyone who wants to know what Jewish people are thinking in this consideration of conversion.

After Woody meets with a priest, we see Woody on the Upper West Side. He goes inside a bookshop and buys some items. That bookshop was actually Leo's barbershop! The production crew changed things around and only used the front of the shop. Perhaps the inside shots were on the cutting room floor. I never knew. So the Woody character named Mickey, returns to his home and unpacks the conversion ware. What is inside the brown paper bag? What did Mickey buy at the Catholic bookshop? A Bible, of course. And a crucifix (The Catholic version with Jesus still affixed to the cross). A loaf of white bread. A jar of mayonnaise.

No wonder Woody did a double-take on that barbershop day. His film character Mickey was going to convert to Jesus and here I was inside the shop where it would happen wearing a shirt .... well, you get it.

It's not too late for the real Woody Allen to write me. I promise not to be shy and avoid his email.
I promise to answer his questions, if they persist or linger at all.

And I promise to answer yours as well. Like why the white bread and mayonnaise? Like why search for meaning and give up before you find it? Ask, you just might get an answer that works.

Woody, death and 'just in case'

I remembered the movie when it came on my movie channel today, but didn't remember all of it. "Cafe Society" is another Woody Allen movie with big star power and plenty of references to New York City vs Los Angeles, jazz music, a Jewish hit-man and issues of true love. Nothing new there.

The movie was released in 2016, and carries a conclusion by Ben, played by Corey Stoll, a veteran Woody Allen cast member, who is busted for his murdering the neighbor and extortion and countless other crimes. He receives the death sentence and as you would expect from Woody Allen, at the end he searches for the meaning of life (especially in death.) He wants assurance that there is something more, and welcomes Father Brolian in his last week of life. Ben Dorfman, a Jew, is seeking solace and the comfort that Christians seem to have as they finish this life. 

Bobby, the nephew of Ben, played by Jesse Eisenberg, is scandalized. Mind you, if someone else wrote other chunks of this screenplay, this section was handwritten by Woody himself. His concern with death and meaning has been apparent throughout his career. I remember a 1985 movie "Hannah and her sisters" where the Jewish main character (then played by Woody) goes on a search-for-meaning which includes a stint at a Christian bookshop in NYC (which was actually my old barber shop. More on that later)

BEN: You know, we didn't have time for this, but when the end's near, you need somethin'.
BOBBY: Yeah! And you don't wanna be buried as a Jew in a Jewish cemetery?
BEN: The Jewish religion doesn't believe in an afterlife.
BOBBY: Right. I guess, but I can't believe what I am hearing from you.
BEN: I have to know that all this just doesn't end. You know what do I mean? I have to believe that a part of me keeps goin'.  We all got a soul, right Father?

[For your further study, this whole section of the script is as the bottom here.]

Even though theology is not Woody's strong suit, and even though Judaism does have official reference to the afterlife, most Jewish people would agree with Woody's character's conclusions. So the problem does exist. 

The assurance of something more, that this life doesn't just end-- I believe this is inbuilt, hardwired into humanity. We ache to go on, to last, to dwell well and to dwell long. The Bible even says, "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end." (Ecclesiastes 3.11)

So how do we go on? How do we make it to the other side, as Ben longed, and I believe, as Woody longs?  Maybe this YouTube I made will help unpack some of my thoughts. See the YouTube here. 
I'm pretty sure that the only pictures which we readily recognize, the angels in all white, on a white cumulus cloud, plucking a harp on one side, and a devil with red pitchfork and anger on the other-- I don't think that's what heaven and hell are really about.

But getting to heaven-- that's hardwired into us. And then there's the issue of the 'just in case.' What would it kill you if you don't believe, to go ahead and believe? Some use the phrase "Pascal's Wager" to describe this gamble.

Whether you agree with the authors' conclusions here about Pascal's Wager, the thinking is worth reading and considering. Here's a long article with philosophical thoughts. Here's the link. 

Just in case there's a heaven, Pascal argued, why not believe it?  I'm not sure that this would be enough, and certainly falls short of the biblical definition of faith, BUT it's way better than knocking religion altogether. So said Pascal.

What do you say?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE SCRIPT SECTION:
Despite the efforts of two high-priced lawyers, he was sentenced to die in the electric chair at Sing Sing.

BEN: This is Father Brolian. He's guiding me down the stand to Christianity. Today, we discussed the sixth Psalm. "O Lord! Do not punish me in anger. Do not chastise me in fury, right Father?"
BOBBY: Ben, Ben, I'm flabbergasted!
BEN: You know, we didn't have time for this bullshit, but when the end's near, you need somethin'.
BOBBY: Yeah! And you don't wanna be buried as a Jew in a Jewish cemetery?
BEN: The Jewish religion doesn't believe in an afterlife.
BOBBY: Right. I guess, but I can't believe what I am hearing from you.
BEN: I have to know that all this just doesn't end. You know what do I mean? I have to believe that a part of me keeps goin'. We all got a soul. Right, Father?


NEXT SCENE: Back at Ben's sister's house. The speakers are all Jews. Which line is given by which person is inconsequential.

First a murderer, then he becomes a Christian. What did I do to deserve this? Which is worse? He explained it to you.
The Jews don't have an afterlife.
We are all afraid of dying, Marty!
But we don't give up the religion we are born into.
I'm not afraid of dying.
You're too stupid to appreciate the implications.
I didn't say I like the idea. and I will resist death with everything I have. But when the Angel of Death
comes down to cut me down, I'll go. I'll protest. I'll curse. You hear me? I will go under protest.
Protest to who? What the hell are you gonna do?? Write a letter to the Times?
I will protest in silence. Because my whole life, I pray and I pray and there's never an answer!
What are you saying?
No answer, is also an answer.
Too bad the Jewish religion doesn't have an afterlife. They would get a lot more customers.

FINAL section I'm referencing in this blog:
In late July, Ben was executed at Sing Sing.
He died a Christian and stated he wanted to be cremated. Ben had requested his ashes be scattered in Manhattan. And Bobby scattered them outside an establishment that had given Ben many evenings of pleasure.

Read the whole script at: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=cafe-society
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The whole of Psalm 6:

Psa. 6.1 ¶ O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, 

Nor chasten me in Your wrath. 

Psa. 6.2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; 

Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed. 

Psa. 6.3 And my soul is greatly dismayed; 

But You, O Lord — how long? 

Psa. 6.4 ¶ Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; 

Save me because of Your lovingkindness. 

Psa. 6.5 For there is no mention of You in death; 

In Sheol who will give You thanks? 

Psa. 6.6 ¶ I am weary with my sighing; 

Every night I make my bed swim, 

I dissolve my couch with my tears. 

Psa. 6.7 My eye has wasted away with grief; 

It has become old because of all my adversaries. 

Psa. 6.8 ¶ Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, 

For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. 

Psa. 6.9 The Lord has heard my supplication, 

The Lord receives my prayer. 

Psa. 6.10 All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; 

They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed. 

Despite the efforts of
two high-priced lawyers,
he was sentenced to die
in the electric chair at Sing Sing.
This is father Brolian.
He's guiding me down the stand to Christianity.
Today, we discussed the six Psalm.
O Lord! Do not punish me in anger.
Do not chastise me in anger, right father?
Ben, Ben, I'm flabbergasted!
You know, we didn't have time for this bullshit,
but when the ends near, you need somethin'.
Yeah! And you don't wanna be buried
as a Jew in a Jewish cemetery?
The Jewish religion doesn't
believe in an afterlife.
Right. I guess but I don't believe
what I am hearing from you.
I just have to know that all this just doesn't end.
You know what do I mean?
I need to believe that a part
of me keeps goin'.
We all gotta soul.
Right, Father?
First a murderer,
then he becomes a Christian.
What did I do to deserve this?
Which is worse?
He explained it to you.
The Jews don't have an afterlife.
We are all afraid of dying, Marty!
But we don't give up the
religion we are born into.
I'm not afraid to die.
You're too stupid to appreciate the implications.
I didn't say I like the idea.
And I will resist death
with everything I have.
But when the Angel of Death
comes down to cut me down,
I'll go.
I'll protest.
I'll curse.
You hear me?
I will go under protest.
Protest to who?
What the hell are you gonna do??
Write a letter to the Times?
I will protest in silence.
Because my whole life,
I pray and I pray
and there's never an answer!
What are you saying?
No answer, is also an answer.
Too bad the Jewish religion
doesn't have an afterlife.
They get a lot more customers.
In late July, Ben was executed at Sing Sing.
He died a Christian and
he wanted to be cremated.
Ben had requested his ashes
be scattered in Manhattan.
And Bobby scattered them
outside an establishment
that had give Ben many evenings of pleasure.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=cafe-society

Despite the efforts of
two high-priced lawyers,
he was sentenced to die
in the electric chair at Sing Sing.
This is father Brolian.
He's guiding me down the stand to Christianity.
Today, we discussed the six Psalm.
O Lord! Do not punish me in anger.
Do not chastise me in anger, right father?
Ben, Ben, I'm flabbergasted!
You know, we didn't have time for this bullshit,
but when the ends near, you need somethin'.
Yeah! And you don't wanna be buried
as a Jew in a Jewish cemetery?
The Jewish religion doesn't
believe in an afterlife.
Right. I guess but I don't believe
what I am hearing from you.
I just have to know that all this just doesn't end.
You know what do I mean?
I need to believe that a part
of me keeps goin'.
We all gotta soul.
Right, Father?
First a murderer,
then he becomes a Christian.
What did I do to deserve this?
Which is worse?
He explained it to you.
The Jews don't have an afterlife.
We are all afraid of dying, Marty!
But we don't give up the
religion we are born into.
I'm not afraid to die.
You're too stupid to appreciate the implications.
I didn't say I like the idea.
And I will resist death
with everything I have.
But when the Angel of Death
comes down to cut me down,
I'll go.
I'll protest.
I'll curse.
You hear me?
I will go under protest.
Protest to who?
What the hell are you gonna do??
Write a letter to the Times?
I will protest in silence.
Because my whole life,
I pray and I pray
and there's never an answer!
What are you saying?
No answer, is also an answer.
Too bad the Jewish religion
doesn't have an afterlife.
They get a lot more customers.
In late July, Ben was executed at Sing Sing.
He died a Christian and
he wanted to be cremated.
Ben had requested his ashes
be scattered in Manhattan.
And Bobby scattered them
outside an establishment
that had give Ben many evenings of pleasure.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=cafe-society

Repeating. Did I say that already?

It was common for actors in the 16th Century, in Shakespearean companies to play different roles each night. A band of actors would travel from one city and village to the next, and in each location to perform another of the Bard's great plays. I have a friend here in Sydney who runs an opera company. And opera fans have seen the same companies perform different shows each night for weeks, while the cast remains the same, but change roles each day.

In this painting by Caravaggio, the setting is clearly the ancient story of Narcissus, and this one features some similarities to other paintings by the artist.

It has been questioned by art scholars, whether the painting Narcissus was actually painted by Caravaggio. Elements in the painting’s style and iconographic creativity has led to the acceptance that it actually was one of Caravaggio’s creations. Caravaggio, a young and poor artist, was known to reuse models and costumes repeatedly, in order to save money. The facial features of Narcissus look very similar to the angel in the painting Rest on the Flight into Egypt.

The composition of the vest that Narcissus is wearing looks as if it is the same material as Mary’s dress in another of Caravaggio’s paintings, The Penitent Magdalene, as well. Caravaggio was also known to produce paintings with a suspenseful, magical and introspective atmosphere, during the middle of his career as an artist, which is very characteristic of this painting.

Repeating ourselves, and reusing characters, plots, themes, story lines, even clothing... hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Of course, we're writing about Shakespeare, operas, and great artists. Their works have stood the test of time. But what about others who continue to peddle tried-and-true formula antics like comedians whose shtick is canned? Think of Abbott and Costello; think Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin; think Adam Sandler or Woody Allen. Their marks are all over their works and they 'work' which is why they didn't adjust; they didn't need to. It's still working.

I watched the first two debates in the US presidential election. One with the senior candidates, and the other with their 2ics. One of the knocks I hear from each side is that 'the other guy uses canned answers.' There is a sense of indignity that preparation in debate leads to answers which apparently are not real. As if answers have to be off-the-cuff to be genuine. I don't really understand that.

I go to a certain florist shop to buy flowers because the lady Rita who runs the place does a great job. I know what I'm going to get. She knows what I want. It's a comfortable albeit patterned situation. I trust her BECAUSE she's reliable. And the product is repeatedly good.

Most people who buy bread at the bakery want good bread. They want bread that is reliable and safe and healthy and tasty. They don't want something new or different as if that's the only good stuff. They want repeatability in reliability.

I wonder if someone can help me understand why 'canned' answers in debate preparation is wrong, but good paintings, bakery products or flowers is right. I'm willing to learn. Thanks.

Hannah, her sisters, Woody Allen and me

The year was around 1985. The scene was the Upper West Side in New York City. Specifically it was inside Leo's Barbershop on 73rd and Amsterdam. About 11 a.m. on a weekday. I was inside the shop and Leo was making me look decent. His shop was unusually empty. I was the only customer in the shop. It was eerie. Like most in his trade, he depended on a steady flow of customers to pay the bills and get ahead. He had been a barber for decades, in NYC mostly, but was originally from Italy. So that I was the only one inside with him on a normal workday seemed odd. I asked him about the reason for such.

He told me that Mr Woody Allen had hired the shop from midday and that I was the last customer of the day. Seemed that Woody had hired out the shop for a previous movie he made, and that he and Leo had 'a relationship' of sorts. I did note a photo of Woody on the wall behind me. And if Woody were going to take the whole place, I wondered what movie it might be. Leo didn't know.

A few moments later, almost on cue, two men entered dismissing the "Closed" sign on the door. It was Woody and an offsider, no doubt. Wow, here was a movie legend, producer, director, writer, and here I was getting my haircut under the cape, and under the efficient tonsorial wizardry of Leo. I really wanted to speak with him. I was, after all, wearing a "Jews for Jesus" tshirt like this one pictured.  And Woody is a famous Jewish man, and dealt with stories of angst and the search for meaning and such. But he was in a class way above mine...

So I let it go. He was busy anyway, discussing so many things with his offsider. Leo finished my haircut and he took the hair-capturing cape off me. I arose from the barber chair. And Woody looked at me, or rather my shirt. He looked away. Then he did a double-take, looking back at the shirt. And that's when I should have said something. But I didn't. I'm sorry to this day that I didn't. Regrets, I have a few.

I left and didn't think about this episode particularly again for months. Then the next Woody Allen movie came out entitled, "Hannah and her sisters."  (1986) It was a typical Allen film with a great cast (Mia Farrow, Dianne Weist, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Michael Caine, Barbara Hershey, Richard Jenkins, Carrie Fisher...) and the problems of life and the meaning of life. The Allen character in the movie is (mis)diagnosed with a brain tumor and he begins seriously even investigating religion and spirituality. He is, of course, a Jewish man in the role he plays, and his search for meaning actually takes him to the Catholic church and he seeks to convert. The scenes that follow are comic, real, disclosing and helpful for anyone who wants to know what Jewish people are thinking in this consideration of conversion.

After Woody meets with a priest, we see Woody on the Upper West Side. He goes inside a book shop and buys some items. That book shop was actually Leo's barbershop! The production crew changed things around and only used the front of the shop. Perhaps the inside shots were on the cutting room floor. I never knew. So the Woody character named Mickey, returns to his home and unpacks the conversion ware. What is inside the brown paper bag? What did Mickey buy at the Catholic book shop? A Bible, of course. And a crucifix (The Catholic version with Jesus still affixed to the cross). A loaf of white bread. A jar of mayonnaise.

No wonder Woody did a double-take on that barbershop day. His film character Mickey was going to convert to Jesus and here I was inside the shop where it would happen wearing a shirt .... well, you get it.

It's not too late for the real Woody Allen to write me. I promise not to be shy and avoid his email.
I promise to answer his questions, if they persist or linger at all.

And I promise to answer yours as well. Like why the white bread and mayonnaise? Like why search for meaning and give up before you find it? Ask, you just might get an answer that works.