Director Woody Allen has once again appeared in court - this time to thank jurors who endured a complicated nine-day trial which was finally settled out-of-court.

Addressing the jury, he said: "I'm sorry for this. I know it was not fun to sit there and listen to all this. It sure was dull."

The star had taken his former friend Jean Doumanian - and her business partner Jacqui Safra - to court alleging they had creamed off $12m (�8.1m) in profits from his last eight films.

They counter-sued accusing Allen of in fact owing them money because they had lost out financially by continuing to back his movies.

Sweetland produced eight movies with Allen

But after nine days of testimony at the Supreme Court in New York lawyers for both sides settled.

But the terms of the settlement remain a secret with the parties issuing just a vague joint statement.

"The parties have reached a business resolution of the dispute. The case is over," was their only public comment.

'Walk away'

Speaking after the case finished juror Paul Meinel, 36, said Allen had been "entertaining" but not very concerned about money.

Juror Ian Lawrence said he believed it was the people behind Allen that had pushed him into going to court, and admitted that he would only have awarded Allen $1.

Allen and Ms Doumanian have been friends for more than 20 years.

But their friendship was broken when accusations were flung at each other about money from films made since 1993.

Allen testified that it would once have been unthinkable to sue Ms Doumanian but that "it was too much money to just cavalierly walk away".

The films at the centre of the argument included some of Allen's most acclaimed successes such as Bullets Over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Celebrity and Sweet and Lowdown.

'Heroine'

Allen claimed he had signed a three-movie deal with the production company Sweetland Films, run by Ms Doumanian, with a budget of $52m (�35m).

But, he continued that eight pictures in total had been financed by the company, five films more than had been agreed.

The court case has led to the breakdown of a long friendship

Ms Doumanian and Mr Safra disputed the claim, saying their contract with Allen also applied to the five later films.

They added that Allen had been given the $19.5m (�13.3m) he had been due.

Lawyers for Ms Doumanian described her as a "heroine" who had rescued Allen's movie career.

Ms Doumanian told the court she considered Allen ungrateful.

Mr Safra said they had backed Allen financially because they wanted to help "a friend in need".