Romance In Manhattan

Romance for and with Manhattan
This is a charming film. There are some dark undertones, but they intensify the drama and romance.

Frances Lederer is apparently best known on the West Coast as a beloved and excellent coach, but he started out in silent films, one of those able to make the transition to the "talkies". (Look for him in "Pandora's Box", with Louise Brooks.) Two sound films I recommend are "Midnight" and "The Gay Deception".

Ginger Rogers plays a showgirl but not a star, a chorus girl trying to make ends meet. No Fred Astaire here, this was one of her first efforts without him after their partnership was established.

The film gives a reasonably accurate picture of Depression-era New York, for Hollywood, and shows some of the hardships even the lucky had to endure. There's a bit of stock footage, too.

See this if you ever have the chance. The last scenes alone are worth the price of admission!

Particularly compelling film of love's obstacles.
This delightful work details the struggle of a Czech illegal immigrant, Karel Novak (Francis Lederer), to remain in the United States during the Depression, with a sparkling script limning the cultural impact of New York City upon the newcomer. Stephen Roberts directs with his customary skill in one of his final films (he died shortly after at the age of 40) and avoids both the hyperbolic and hypocritical, particularly significant when we are given the insincerity which marks the current immigration debate with its rough moral equivalence. The Bohemian-born Lederer's strong performance is quite probably his best, with an excellent and witty scenario providing the cast, which includes many of RKO's many contract players, an opportunity to create characterizations that are well-defined. Ginger Rogers nicely portrays Lederer's love interest and there is excellent acting from Sidney Toler and J. Farrell MacDonald as two of a contingent of New York's Finest (all Irish, of course) whose...

A true classic--one of Ginger's most charming films!
This wonderful little gem of a film stars Ginger Rogers and Francis Lederer. Both of their roles are perfect for them, and their chemistry together is superb! The importance of this movie in the careers of the two stars shouldn't be overlooked--the film was a breakthrough for Francis Lederer and solidified Ginger Rogers star power. I won't spoil your enjoyment of the film by giving away the plot; what Maltin said is probably too much already! As a sidenote, it's a real shame that Turner has allowed so many (including this title) of Ginger's best films to go out of print; it makes them so hard to find!

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