The Man I Love

Director: John Maxwell, Raoul Walsh John Maxwell

Overview

Ida "Don't mess with me" Lupino takes a job as a singer in Robert Alda's seedy Santa Monica nitery. Lupino ignores Alda's advances to cultivate a romance with pianist Bruce Bennett. Alda uses his connections with the Mob to break up the relationship--and also, hopefully, to break up Bennett into little pieces. Logic is not the film's strong suit, but it scores on atmosphere and tension. Man I Love served as the inspiration for Martin Scorcese's much-later New York, New York.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2009
UPC:	0883316173374
Original Release:	1946
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:36:00
Sales rank:	25,815

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Ida Lupino	Petey Brown
Robert Alda	Nicky Toresca
Bruce Bennett	San Thomas
Andrea King	Sally Otis
Martha Vickers	Virginia Brown
Dolores Moran	Gloria O'Connor
John Ridgely	Roy Otis
Don McGuire	Johnny O'Connor
Warren Douglas	Joe Brown
Craig Stevens	Johnson
William Edmunds	Tony Toresca
James Dobbs	Jimmy
Patrick Griffin	Buddy Otis
Peg La Centra	Lupino [singing]
Florence Bates	Mrs. Thorpe
Eddie Bruce	Drunk
Tom Quinn	Drunk
Barbara Brown	Maggie
Janet Barrett	Cashier
Robin Raymond	Lee, the Waitress
Frank Ferguson	Army Doctor
Jack Wise	Waiter
Jack Mower	Desk Sergeant
Monte Blue	Cop
Jack Daley	Flynn, the Bartender
Ben Welden	Jack Atlas
John Vosper	Man with Gloria
Tony Romano	Singer at Bamboo Club
Alan Hale Jr.	Riley

Technical Credits

Catherine Turney

Jo Pagano

Raoul Walsh	Director
Catherine Turney	Screenwriter
Arnold Albert	Producer
Harry Barndollar	Special Effects
Edwin DuPar	Special Effects
Jo Pagano	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Although it has been cited as an inspiration for Martin Scorsese's New York, New York, The Man I Love has little in common with the latter film save for a basic situation involving a romance between musicians. Man is hardly a great film, but it's an enjoyable, if essentially sappy, little melodrama. The story is a Mulligan's stew with a little bit of this and a bit of that thrown in. There's plenty of music (including some nice "switch-singing" by Peg La Centra, standing in for Ida Lupino), lots of family troubles, a tough heroine who's really vulnerable when you dig far enough down, smoke-filled rooms, and a number of underworld types. It doesn't really add up to a satisfying whole, but Lupino's galvanizing central performance holds the film together. Whether hiding misty eyes or standing foursquare against the world, Lupino demands the viewer's attention and gives back plenty in return. Robert Alda is a bit weak, but Bruce Bennett has some good moments. The direction is uneven, and too prone to indulging the excesses of the screenplay, but it's generally okay, and there's an undeniable appeal to a lot of the nightclub scenes. Man has its flaws, but as long as Lupino is around, they don't matter too much.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler