Tales of Manhattan

Overview

Tales of Manhattan is a sumptuous multipart film centered around a formal tailcoat. The coat is specially designed for stage actor Charles Boyer, who wears it during a rendezvous with his lady friend (Rita Hayworth). The lady's husband (Thomas Mitchell) shoots Boyer, thus the tailcoat is damaged merchandise and sold at a discount to a bridegroom (Cesar Romero). When the groom's peccadillos catch up to him, the bride (Ginger Rogers) chooses to marry the best man (Henry Fonda) instead, and the coat is shipped off to a second hand store. It is purchased by a would-be composer (Charles Laughton), who wears it the night that he is to conduct his first symphony; alas, the coat is too tight and tears apart, nearly ruining the conductor's debut. Stitched back together, the coat is donated to a skid row mission, wherein the kindly proprietor gives the coat to a down and out drunkard (Edward G. Robinson) so that the shabby gentleman can attend his 25th college reunion. Later on, the coat is stolen by a crook (J. Carroll Naish) in order to gain entrance to a fancy charity ball. The crook holds up the ball and stuffs the loot in the pockets of the coat, but while escaping in an airplane he loses the outer garment. The coat floats down to an impoverished African American shanty community; a farmer (Paul Robeson) decides to distribute the "money from heaven" amongst his needy neighbors. At the end, the tattered coat adorns the shoulders of a scarecrow. Tales of Manhattan is one of the best "portmanteau" dramas turned out by Hollywood; it was directed by French expatriate Julien Duvivier, a past master of the multi-story technique.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/06/2013
UPC:	0024543885306
Original Release:	1942
Rating:	NR
Source:	FOX MOD
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX]
Language:	English
Time:	1:58:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charles Boyer	Paul Orman
Rita Hayworth	Ethel Halloway
Ginger Rogers	Diane
Henry Fonda	George
Charles Laughton	Charles Smith
Paul Robeson	Luke
Ethel Waters	Esther
Edward G. Robinson	Larry Browne,Bar Proprietor
Cesar Romero	Harry Wilson
J. Carrol Naish	Costello
Elsa Lanchester	Elsa Smith
Thomas Mitchell	John Halloway
Eugene Pallette	Luther
Helene Reynolds	Actress,Grandmother
Robert Greig	Lazar
Jack Chefe	Tailor
William Halligan	Oliver Webb
Charles Williams	Paul's Agent
Eric Wilton	Halloway's Butler
Gail Patrick	Ellen
Roland Young	Edgar the Butler
Marion Martin	Squirrel
Frank Orth	Secondhand Dealer
Connie Leon	Mary
Victor Francen	Auturo Bellini
Christian Rub	Wilson
Sig Arno	Piccolo Player
Forbes Murray	Dignified Man
Buster Brodie	Call Boy
Frank Jaquet	Musician
Will Wright	Skeptic
Frank Dae	Elderly Man
Rene Austin	Susan
Frank Darien	Grandpa
Tom O'Grady	Latecomer
Curly Twyfford	Bird Man
Gino Corrado	Spectator
George Sanders	Williams
James Gleason	Father Joe
Harry Davenport	Professor Lyons
James Rennie	Hank Bronson
Harry Hayden	Soupy Davis
Morris Ankrum	Judge Barnes
Don Douglas	Henderson
Mae Marsh	Molly
Barbara Lynn	Mary
Paul Renay	Spud Johnson
Ted Stanhope	Chauffeur
Esther Howard	Woman
Joe Bernard	Postman
Alex Pollard	Waiter
Don Brady	Whistler
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson	Rev. Lazarus
Clarence Muse	Grandpa
George Reed	Christopher,Christopher
Cordell Hickman	Nicodemus
John Kelly	Monk
Lonnie Nichols	Brad
Charles H. Gray	Rod,Rod
Philip Hurlic	Jeff
Archie Savage	Man
Rita Christiani	Woman
Laura Vaughn	Woman
Ella Mae Lashley	Woman
Olive Ball	Woman
Maggie Dorsey	Woman
Charles Tannen	Pilot
Johnny Lee	Carpenter
Blue Washington	Black Man
Don Beddoe	Whistler
Joseph E. Bernard	Postman
W.C. Fields	(in restored episode) (uncredited)
Sol Kaplan	Composer

Technical Credits

Henry Blankfort

Buster Keaton

William Morrow

László Vadnay

Ben Hecht

Lamar Trotti

Ferenc Molnár

Alan Campbell

Edmund Beloin

Samuel Hoffenstein

Donald Stewart

Ladislas Fodor

Laszlo Gorog

Julien Duvivier	Director
Boris Morros	Producer
Sam Spiegel	Producer
Henry Blankfort	Screenwriter
Buster Keaton	Screenwriter
William Morrow	Screenwriter
László Vadnay	Screenwriter
Ben Hecht	Screenwriter
Lamar Trotti	Screenwriter
Ferenc Molnár	Screenwriter
Alan Campbell	Screenwriter
Edmund Beloin	Screenwriter
Samuel Hoffenstein	Screenwriter
Donald Stewart	Screenwriter
Ladislas Fodor	Screenwriter
Laszlo Gorog	Screenwriter
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer
W.D. Flick	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Tales of Manhattan
1. Chapter 1 [10:00]
2. Chapter 2 [10:00]
3. Chapter 3 [10:00]
4. Chapter 4 [10:00]
5. Chapter 5 [10:00]
6. Chapter 6 [10:00]
7. Chapter 7 [10:00]
8. Chapter 8 [10:00]
9. Chapter 9 [10:00]
10. Chapter 10 [10:00]
11. Chapter 11 [10:00]
12. Chapter 12 [8:23]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Tales of Manhattan
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Editorial Reviews

One of the better anthology films, Tales of Manhattan benefits from Julien Duvivier's assured direction, which confidently melds the disparate stories (and their different tones) together in an effortless and surprisingly satisfying manner. There are almost inevitably problems with multi-part films of this sort, and Tales certainly has them, including a tendency to sacrifice characterization to the mechanics of the plot and a "broad stroke" approach to dialogue. This accounts for excessive sentimentality in the Edward G. Robinson sequence, as well as for the fact that the climax on the Charles Laughton sequence comes across as somewhat corny and contrived; it isn't presented with sufficient nuance. On the whole, however, Tales's considerable assets make up for its flaws; chief among the assets, of course, is the all-star cast, many of which turn in especially fine performances. Laughton is particularly fine, employing a vulnerability that he often eschewed, and giving fine shadings to the character, despite the scant screen time allotted him. Robinson is also in fine form, making the most of his big confession scene, as well as his wordless final scene, and Henry Fonda and Ginger Rogers do extremely well with their mutual seduction scene (a scene in which Duvivier lingers obsessively over the sparkle in both actors' eyes.) Paul Robeson creates a toweringly gentle character, and he, Ethel Waters and Eddie Anderson somehow manage to keep the final sequence from crossing the line from folksy to stereotyped. Elegantly appointed, Tales is a delightful bauble for viewers in search of a light divertissement.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler