As many times as I’ve seen and re-seen Crimes and Misdemeanors, I ought to know the essence of the final scene’s philosophy-professor voiceover by heart:

We’re all faced throughout our lives with agonizing decisions, moral choices. Some are on a grand scale; most of these choices are on lesser points. But we define ourselves by the choices we have made. We are, in fact, the sum total of our choices.

It’s a penetrating quote because it’s unavoidably true: You can’t separate yourself from your actions, especially to the extent that each decision cumulatively leads to the next. A lifetime’s running tally results in your very being. That director Woody Allen demonstrates this dynamic with equal parts comedy and tragedy proves its veracity.