Zelig

Released 1983
Stars Woody Allen, Mia Farrow
Directed by Woody Allen

Long before there was Robert Zemeckis inserting footage of Tom Hanks into archival newsreels there was Woody Allen's comedic faux-documentary Zelig. Surprising both critics and audiences with something completely new and strange, Zelig told the story of one man's yearning to fit into society so much that he magically morphed into his surroundings with ease. Allen and then wife Mia Farrow make national headlines (at least in the confines of Zelig) in this strange film.

Pity poor Leonard Zelig (Allen), for he knows not who he is. Zelig follows the story of this timid man in the '20s who wants so much to be loved and adored that he will do almost anything to be accepted, including meld into someone else! Leonard possesses the unique ability to look and act like the people he is around -- whether it be Black, Chinese, Irish or Greek, Leonard can literally transform into any of these personalities. The story of Zelig is told in documentary style complete with old newsreel footage from the 1920s and '30s, plus rare photos, interviews, audio recordings and home movies about the life of Leonard Zelig.

Summary by Judge Patrick Naugle

"Zelig" would have made a hilarious short, but it's definitely stretched for a full-length movie--even at a brisk 79 minutes! It's silly and clever, but it doesn't develop past the one stretched joke. It does have a little bit of substance, though, with its comments on celebrity. I don't know if it's a trait specific to Americans, but we like to build up our celebrities and then tear them down. Then we enjoy building some of them back up again. That's what happens to Zelig, and I like Woody's observations here. Overall, I enjoyed "Zelig," but it's not one of my favorites from Woody. --Bill Alward, January 6, 2002