Woody Allen as a Greek

Many people think that the use of the chorus died out in literature along with the ancient Greeks. This is not so if we examine the movie Mighty Aphrodite by Woody Allen. This movie is a wonderful example of the use of the Greek chorus in modern drama.

One thing that was present in the film that sometimes was not very present in Greek drama was the interaction between the chorus and the characters. In many Greek plays there was some interaction between the chorus and the characters, but in general this was kept to a minimum. This is not true in Mighty Aphrodite where the chorus has much more interaction with the main character. Unlike Greek drama, the chorus only interacts with the main character, Lenny (Woody Allen), and is invisible to the other characters in the movie. The interactions of the chorus with Lenny prove helpful and comical throughout the play. In one scene, Cassandra, a chorus member is warning Lenny not to seek out who his son's real mother is. She sees trouble if Lenny does seek her out, and she warns him of other dangers approaching. Lenny responds in saying "You're such a Cassandra" which is ironic and she rebukes with "I'm not such a Cassandra, I am Cassandra." This is also amusing because in Greek mythology Cassandra could always foretell the future, but people did not believe her. Lenny later realizes that Cassandra was right, but as the Greeks, he still doesn't believe her when she warns him another time. Another amusing interaction with a Greek character was Lenny's meeting with Tiresias, the blind seer. Lenny passes Tiresias on a New York street as Lenny is leaving the Acropolis Restaurant and gives him money because Tiresias has a sign saying he is blind and needs money. As Lenny passes him, Tiresias tells him how his wife has been cheating on him. After Tiresias tells Lenny this, Lenny asks if his wife resisted this man kissing her and Tiresias answers "No, she just stuck her tongue further into his mouth as far as it would humanly go." Then Tiresias tells Lenny "You have to be blind not to see what your wife is doing." The statement is ironic in that Lenny can "see" but he cannot "see" what Tiresias does. This theme of sight runs through many Greek plays. They also illustrate that the Greek chorus could also be used for comedy instead of just to stir up catharsis.

In following with the Greek tradition there were choral odes placed throughout Mighty Aphrodite. Woody Allen did follow along with the traditional use of the chorus in the choral odes but, yet again, adds comedy to them. In one choral ode when the chorus prays to Zeus (to prevent Lenny from finding out whom his adopted son's real mother is) they kneel and call upon Zeus. A voice is heard from the heavens saying "This is Zeus, I am not home right now. Leave a message and I'll get back to you." The chorus then responds at the beep saying "Call us when you get in, we need help!" This shows how Woody Allen was both paying homage to the Greeks, and yet also poking fun at their ways.

In the final choral ode, the chorus breaks out into a song singing "When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)" which is a humorous example of the use of the chorus and it also shows the metamorphosis of what the chorus has turned into. The chorus not only sings the song but dances and pantomimes the meaning of the song using over exaggerated motions. The director does stray away from the original Greek tradition by giving each individual chorus member their own chance for self expression in the ending scene that proves to be an amusing use of the chorus in Mighty Aphrodite .

The chorus serve as advisors to Lenny against possible dangers that might result from the search for his son's birth mother. Many times throughout the movie Lenny is warned by various chorus members that he should not seek out his son's mother, yet Lenny does not listen. When Lenny is illegally stealing the mother's phone number from the adoption agency, a chorus member tells him not to do it. Lenny responds by saying "That's why you will always be a chorus member, because you don't do anything. I act, I take action, I make things happen." This is an amusing use of the Greek chorus members in that they usually do not do anything but comment, pray and warn, but Woody Allen allows it to speak directly with the main character.

Allusions to the Greek Gods prove comical in this movie by Woody Allen. In the last scene the chorus inquires if Lenny and Linda (whom we find out is the mother of Lenny's adopted son) made out. Tiresias says "Lenny and Linda did make love that night like he was Zeus and she was Aphrodite with and aphrodisiac." This is a very amusing use of comparison of the Greek Gods. Aphrodite is the Greek God of love and beauty. This is amusing in that Linda was the representation of Aphrodite in the movie because she was very beautiful.

Before the chorus breaks out into song in that final choral ode, there is a wonderful use of the Greek masks that were used in the ancient Greek theater. The chorus itself is located in a Greek amphitheater in Italy. Lenny appears at the amphitheater and begins to talk to the chorus whose masks have a sad face on them. Then his wife appears and she says "There you are, I've been looking all over for you!" They make up, when they kiss the chorus members flip over their mask to the sides that have big smiles on them.

Woody Allen uses a Deus Ex Machina in the ending scene as another allusion to Greek theater. Linda is driving back to NYC from Upstate NY where she was trying to patch up relations with her ex-boyfriend, but he refuses to get back with her. While she is driving, a helicopter stops in a field by the road. She stops and helps the man out. It is later revealed that Linda ends up marrying this man. This man is Linda's "savior" which is what the Deus Ex Machina did in the Greek theater.

A final interesting factor of the Greek chorus was their location. Excluding the scenes where there is only one chorus member interacting with the main character, the chorus is detached completely from the rest of the action. The chorus is filmed in an ancient Greek theater in Italy which adds to the effect of the chorus. This is much more effective than if the chorus were with the rest of the action in New York City. It adds to their knowledge and mystique. It is also nice that Lenny sometimes appears in the Greek theater with the chorus to prevent from a total separation of the chorus and the rest of the film.

If only Woody Allen was alive in the time of the ancient Greeks the Greek chorus and Greek plays in general would be much better. Mighty Aphrodite added several aspects to the chorus, it added comedic relief from the chorus, more interaction with the main character, and a song where the chorus could be individualized. The movie also displayed how the Greek chorus has been transformed into the singing body that it is today. Woody Allen displays his knowledge of the Greek chorus and his visions of what he would like it to have been. Maybe there is a place for the Greek chorus in modern cinematography. One might even compare Woody Allen's' Mighty Aphrodite to Aristotle's Poetics as they both can be seen as guidelines for Greek drama, both ancient and modern.

(C) 1995 Franco's Writings

Back to Home


Back to the page about ME!