Manhattan director Woody Allen tried to prevent the release of his film

Allen, it should be noted, was always a prolific filmmaker, making at least one film every year from 1972 to 2017 (with the exception of '74, '76, and '81, although he made two films in 1987). His most recent film was 2023's Coup de Chance, which was shot in France. Since he was so prolific, it's safe to assume he produced his fair share of duds; not all of Allen's films are notable classics or on the film school curriculum. Even Allen has admitted that he doesn't rewatch his own films, preferring to make them rather than think about how the last one came about.

When asked which of his films he would like to take back, Allen said he would probably take back most of his filmography. “There are probably six or eight of my films I would keep,” he said, “and you could have all the rest.” He would keep “Zelig” (1983), “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985), “Husbands and Wives” (1992), “Match Point” (2005) and maybe “Midnight in Paris” (2011).

But not “Manhattan” or his best film, which won Best Picture, “Annie Hall.” In fact, he tried to destroy “Manhattan” when he spoke to Arthur Krim, then head of United Artists. As Allen put it:

“I did them so long ago that I don't even remember them well. I don't feel the same affection for them as the audience. When I 'Manhattan' and saw it, I was very disappointed at the time. And I spoke to Arthur Krim and said, “If you don't release this film, I'll make a film for you, for free.”

Krim did not accept the deal and “Manhattan” was released to great acclaim.