Jesus at the Movies #1

Orthodoxy vs. Invictus

“Nice guys finish last:” a subconscious societal understanding that humankind has debated, defended and rejected violently since…forever. In the film Crimes and Misdemeanors, Woody Allen affirms that nice guys finish last by mirroring the lives of two very different New York men and observing their interactions. Throughout the film we see Judah Rosenthal and Cliff Stern--among others--battling to navigate their hardships via ruthless and blatant carelessness for the sanctity of others’ emotions and well-being. The film deals with another vital question conjectured more obviously by the roles of Professor Louis Levy and Rabbi Ben: how do we attain happiness, and is happiness what we need in order to survive and thrive in life? In this essay, I will be examining the practical consequences of one’s religious views, what Professor Levy and Rabbi Ben can teach us about hope and happiness, and just whether or not nice guys finish last.
Rabbi Ben is a devoutly committed orthodox Jew. He strongly believes in obedience to God’s and Law and clearly sees the Lord as King, Judge and Creator. He is optimistic that proper actions dictate our happiness and success in life, and he hopes that he can perform right actions in God’s watchful eyes and help others to do so. He believes that the world is a “moral structure with a higher power” and that “the righteous will be rewarded, the wicked will be punished for all of eternity.” For our purposes, and because modern society would agree, he is what we shall refer to as a “nice guy.”
Professor Louis Levy is a mysterious character. Though he acknowledges the existence of God, love, happiness and community, he seems to live devoid of all of these pleasures. In his features, he speaks great volumes of wisdom on these subjects as if he packs loads of experience, but watchers get the feeling that he is very aloof and alone from the pleasures of life, and likewise seemingly unaffected by its inherent shortfalls. Professor Levy obviously places no stock in the power of God; he frequently explores the idea that human existence is defined and navigated by our power to create our own destiny—our own luck, fortune, and demise. He says of the early Israelites; “the caring God asks Abraham to sacrifice his own son; we have not succeeded to create a completely loving God.” Levy’s brash willingness to suggest that God is a product of human creation, (and not the other way around), suggests he believes humans are their own captains, and we have created God, or an image of God, which does not suit our human needs. He later comments that “we define ourselves by the choices we’ve made. In fact, we are the sum total of those choices. Human happiness was not designed in creation,” representing his pessimistic, self-empowered perspective on living. Since Professor Levy comprises views that contemporary American society often rejects, we shall call him the “not nice guy.”
Both Rabbi Ben and Professor Levy’s worldviews dictate the way in which they live and their ultimate “success” in life. Ben lives quietly. He cares deeply for others--which we see when he attempts to help Juda-- and cares deeply for the wishes of God. He lives his life obediently to the Lord, but is unfortunately plagued with a progressing blindness throughout the film. Nevertheless, Ben keeps his optimism and ultimately dances happily at a wedding at the film’s end. Professor Levy’s reality is much different; since he believes that he captains his own soul and fate, Professor Levy produces several documentaries discussing his worldviews, then suddenly takes his own life, leaving a note saying “I’ve gone out the window.” This is an action that Ben would never, ever, ever consider performing since God forbids suicide, and Ben’s body—life and death—belong to God. Professor Levy has no problem committing suicide since he does not see life as a sacred item bestowed by God, but as a personal possession; one which is perfectly ethical to create, change and destroy. Ultimately, the discrepancy in their views lurks deeper than their belief or disbelief in a God. Ben believes that the universe stretches beyond his current circumstances, and right actions provide for eternal happiness in an eternal life. Ben believes in something more than this; some omniscient God who defines our happiness. Levy’s idea that our souls and actions are cultivated by our upbringing (“we need a gradient of love to stay in life”) presents a deep faith that this life, the one which we are living, is all we have. It is our playground to enjoy, and observe and create, but there is no point in reserving ourselves in order to ensure happiness for eternity, since we’re not so sure eternity exists. Levy relies on and attempts to understand and define what is tangible in life: family, love, happiness versus an intangible God.
Woody Allen obviously makes the statement that the universe is most certainly NOT a friendly place. Even though Ben lives a pristine life, he still goes blind by the power of his own God! And though Levy harbored a brilliant mind full of fresh philosophy, he was obviously unhappy and killed himself. Cliff Stern, though a good man, loses the girl he loves to a slimy millionaire (so that she can further her career), and Judah prospers despite his vicious murder of Dolores. No, according to Woody Allen, the universe is not a friendly place. For me, it is too early to tell.
So, do nice guys finish last? Leo Tolstoy, Woody Allen and Frank Capra might argue fifteen different ways— but really, no one can say. If we believe that our life here is all that we have to look forward to, and that we captain our destinies, perhaps nice guys do finish last. Perhaps Professor Levy would say that Rabbi Ben finishes last, since he misses out on all of the richness in life (casting doubt on the existence of a loving God or reveling in the philosophy of a powerful self). Rabbi Ben would argue that nice guys most definitely do not finish last, and will be happily feasting in heavenly eternity while the wicked who questioned God and lived recklessly will suffer. But if these murmurs of faith and doubt in both theories had not plague the human mind for all of…forever, no bright, allegorical works such as Crimes and Misdemeanors ever would have been created.