Thursday, June 14, 2012

Romance in Manhattan (1934).





Romance in Manhattan (1934). Comedy/romance directed by Stephen Roberts. Cast: Francis Lederer and Ginger Rogers.

When Karel Novak a Czechoslovakian immigrant, arrives at Ellis Island, he learns that the entrance fee was more than he had planned on and he sent back to the steamship for deportation.

Later, Karel jumps ship and swims ashore and loses all his money along the way. He walks the Manhattan streets until he meets Sylvia Dennis, a chorus girl who catches him stealing doughnuts from the rehearsal hall. Feeling sorry for him, Sylvia takes Karel to her apartment and introduces him to her younger brother Frank.

After, finding a job as a cab driver, he dreams of becoming a millionaire, so that he can marry Sylvia.



It is not before long Frank is caught for truancy, the judge orders him to live at the Benton Institution until the now unemployed Sylvia gets married. Wanting to help Sylvia, Karel contacts Halsey J. Pander, a lawyer who turns him into the authorities for the reward.

Will Murphy, a sympathetic policeman, find away to help Karel and Sylvia's before the morning deadline?


This is a very touching, funny, film filled with hope. Lederer is perfect as the young immigrant, trying to make his way through America during the Great Depression. Rogers, is wonderful as always. The traffic scenes look fake, but, this is still a wonderful little treasure.



Eily Malyon (October 30, 1878 (some sources indicate 1879)-September 26, 1961) was an English character actress in the 1930s and 1940's.

Her mother, Agnes Thomas, was also an actress.

Malyon specialized in playing schoolteachers, maids, nurses, nuns, governesses and spinsters, usually in melodramas, historical dramas and thrillers.

Filmography: Kind Lady (1935), The Widow from Monte Carlo (1935), A Tale of Two Cities (1935), The Florentine Dagger (1935), Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936), The White Angel (1936), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), The Little Princess (1939), On Borrowed Time (1939), Young Tom Edison (1940), Untamed (1940), Going My Way (1944), Paris Underground (1945)and She-Wolf of London (1945).

2 comments:

  1. I think I watched a clip from this in my film class at school. Now I'll have to watch the whole movie. By the way, Karel Novak wouldn't happen to be related to Kim Novak would she? Or is that just coincidence and same last name. + Speaking of Kim Novak (even if there is no relation haha), the movie Picnic was on TCM not too long ago and I recorded it. Can't wait to see it. I saw the stage play and loved it.

    -B

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  2. Mighty B, I do not know if, Karel Novak, is related to Kim. Picnic, is not my favorite film of Kim's, but.. I think you will really enjoy watching it.

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