Manhattan Melodrama

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)

Runtime: 91 minutes

Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke and an uncredited George Cukor

Starring: Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Leo Carrillo, Nat Pendleton

From: MGM

Here's the movie I promised last night, something different from the horror movies I've seen in October, and the first real old movie I've seen in a few weeks. The IMDb plot description (part of it, anyhow) then the Letterboxd review; I'll be back tomorrow night and so will return the review of a horror film:

Orphans Edward "Blackie" Gallagher and Jim Wade are lifelong friends who take different paths in life. Blackie thrives on gambling and grows up to be a hard-nosed racketeer. Bookworm Wade becomes a D.A. vying for the Governorship. When Blackie's girlfriend Eleanor leaves him and marries the more down to earth Wade, Blackie harbors no resentment...”

This is a film I decided to watch today-although I did see it before, a long time ago-as a change of pace from all the horror movie watching I've been doing this month. It's a movie that lives up to the title (thankfully there's no false advertising) and is best known in history not just as the first of many films that William Powell and Myrna Loy did together, but as the movie that got noted outlaw John Dillinger out of hiding and he was gunned down after going to the theatre to see it.

The plot isn't too complex but that it OK; it's about a pair of boys who are pals, one of whom is played by Mickey Rooney. They are on the steamboat General Slocum when it catches fire (a real life incident, by the way) and both are orphaned. You then see them as adults and one is Blackie (Clark Gable), a gangster. The other is Jim Wade (Powell), a district attorney who is looking to become governor of the state of New York. Loy is Eleanor, a dame who was involved with Blackie but once she met Wade, realized his honest unwavering integrity was much more appealing to her. Blackie is OK with that and all three are genial with each other, even when things happen and Wade has to decide if he should be honest or if he should try and help his friend.

Sure, the movie is a melodrama but it isn't overblown or ridiculous. Things are grounded so you could believe that this situation could happen. Several real life aspects are brought in to add believably, that being the sinking of that ship, the trouble in Russia the early part of the 20th century, a day at the horse races at Belmont Park and even an important scene is set at an older version of Madison Square Garden at a hockey game. There are no deus ex machina convenient moments or any of that nonsense. It's not the cheeriest of endings but it's not preposterous either.

The movie's nicely done but what elevates it are the performances of the three leads, who help keep things even-keeled and don't delve into histrionics. All 3 are multidimensional and all 3 are greatly acted. This movie should be known more than the first teaming of Loy and Powell or the last movie that John Dillinger saw.