简介：In1996,withhispublicimageatalowebbafteramessybreakupwithMiaFarrow,clarinetistandfilmmakerWoodyAllensetoffonatourofEuropewithhisNewOrleansjazzband.Accompanyinghimwerehissister,hissoon-to-bewifeSoon-YiPrevin,andOscar-winningdocumentarymakerBarbaraKopple.LikeAllensaysasthebeginningofthetour,"Theoretically,thisshouldbefunforus." WoodyAllenhasalwaysbeenmorewidelyappreciatedinEuropethanintheU.S.,soit'snosurprisethattheconcertsquicklyprovokethekindoffanhysteriausuallyreservedforrockstars.Thisstarhoweverisclearlynotcomfortablewithhisfame.Whetherhe'sgivingatourofhislavishhotelsuiteorproddingatanunexpectedlydryomelet,thedirectorseemsprofoundlyillateaseandsometimes--whentrappedbyacrowdorharassedbyaparticularlypersistentphotographer--heappearstobebothfrightenedandangryatthewaycelebrityshapeshislife.Thepressuretobefunnyoncueisthebaneofanycomedian'slife,ofcourse,andforAllentheseeminglyendlessroundofreceptionsandpartiesissomethingtobeendured,notenjoyed.Inthefaceofthis,themutualsupportandaffectionsharedbyAllenandthewomanheintroducesas"thenotoriousSoon-YiPrevin"comesacrossasbothgenuineandabsolutelynecessary.Whentheyaretogether,heisathisfunniest,andhisleastguarded. Whatpersuadedsuchaprivateartisttoallowsuchadocumentarytobemade?Perhapsitwasadesiretocelebratehisloveofmusic,somethingthatappearstosustainhimasmuchashisrelationshipwithSoon-Yi.Hemayrefusetobobhisheadandtaphisfeettopleasehisaudience,butwhenhelaunchesintoasoaringsolowefinallyseeAllenatease,transportedbythethrillofplayingjazz.--SimonLeake…