Well, yeah...except

So I'm reading a book on Woody Allen by Richard Schickel. I've liked Schickel's books in the past, especically those on Clint Eastwood and Walt Disney.

In the introduction, he's discussing Radio Days, a perfectly wonderful film that, as I've mentioned once or twice before, is the one I like most of all of Allen's. (At least that I've seen.) And one of my favorites of all time.

Schickel, I was happy to read, shares my affection for the film. But then he writes

of the Radio Days family. They "look" Jewish, and in their passionate disputations they "act" Jewish. (Well, anyway, they are assuredly not button-down WASPs.) But nothing is directly made of their ethnicity.

Well, yeah...except for one of the best jokes in the film: When the "Woody-as-a-boy" character (played by a young Seth Green) has stolen some of the change his Hebrew School has sent him out to collect for Israel.

Confronted by the Rabbi with his crime, Green deadpans a la The Lone Ranger: "You speak the truth, my faithful Indian companion."

And there's also this four-minute scene:



I might not make so much of this, but only a few pages earlier, Schickel preens about his authority on the subject of Allen's work. This is what's known in the biz as "asking for it." Hey, Richard: I'm one of those idiot bloggers, and I certainly would never claim "authority" on Allen's work, as you did.

But I knew that was wrong. You know what I'm saying?