Manhattan (film) the names of some cast members were withheld entirely; performances were not recorded. "Manhattan" inspired the song "Remember Manhattan" written by Richard Marx and Fee Waybill from Marx's debut album. Manhattan (film) Manhattan is a 1979 American romantic comedy film directed by Woody Allen and produced by Charles H. Joffe. The screenplay was written by Allen and Marshall Brickman. Allen co-stars as a twice-divorced 42-year-old comedy writer who dates a 17-year-old girl (Mariel Hemingway) but falls in love with his best friend's (Michael Murphy) mistress (Diane Keaton). Meryl Streep and Anne Byrne also star. "Manhattan" was filmed in black-and-white and
Woody Allen interested in buying any. He also began going by the name "Woody Allen". One of those writers was Abe Burrows, coauthor of "Guys and Dolls", who wrote, "Wow! His stuff was dazzling." Burrows then wrote Allen letters of introduction to Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, and Peter Lind Hayes, who immediately sent Allen a check for just the jokes Burrows included as samples. As a result of the jokes Allen mailed to various writers, he was invited, then age 19, to join the NBC Writer's Development Program in 1955, followed by a job on "The NBC Comedy Hour" in Los Angeles.