Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Wizard-8 I was disappointed that the version of "Tales of Manhattan" that aired recently on Turner Classic Movies did not have the W. C. Fields segment that was restored several years ago - I really wanted to see that segment. As for what I *did* get to see, well, I did have a couple of issues that I thought should have been more thought about by the filmmakers before filming started. The first was with the third story, when Charles Laughton's coat rips while he is conducting an orchestra, causing the audience to laugh long and hard. While I could believe the audience laughing a little, I couldn't believe that they would laugh so long. Were they really all that starved for laughs? (Well, maybe - this was made during World War II.) Then there is the last story, with Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. Although you can tell that it was made with good intentions and that the filmmakers were not being consciously racist, it is all the same somewhat stereotypical, showing African Americans to be poor and uneducated but all the same happy because they have got God on their side. Really?But if you can look at the movie as a product of its time, and overlook those unbelievable touches, the movie is entertaining. All the stories that are told are pretty good, my favorite being the reunion Edward G. Robinson attends - you'll really feel for Robinson's character, and when his situation starts to get sticky, you'll be riveted. The movie also has some interesting direction by Julien Duvivier, from long and uninterrupted tracking shots to interesting camera angles. I think that even people who normally don't go for movies from this era would find this particular effort entertaining and never dull.

vert001 TALES OF MANHATTAN is an omnibus film that samples a variety of the film genres that were popular around 1942. It's practically inevitable that such anthologies will show some degree of inconsistency, and such is the case here. The movie's chief interest lies in its unparalleled roster of stars, most of them at the peak of their careers. If for no other reason, it stands as must-viewing for Classical Film Lovers. Others may wish to pick and choose from among its various installments.The first adventure of our magical tailcoat is essentially a basic Film Noir, starring Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth and Thomas Mitchell. Though the always excellent Boyer does what he can with it, this story strikes me as underwritten and with a preposterous twist at the end. Mitchell overacts and Hayworth, later an undoubted Noir Icon, seems completely lost.We follow with a virtual Screwball Comedy, starring Ginger Rogers and Henry Fonda, with Cesar Romero and Gail Patrick. It's the only time Rogers and Fonda ever worked together, and despite the lightweight material they put on a good show. Patrick's sardonic delivery of the line, "I'm in misery and I think I've got company," is my second favorite moment in the entire movie.It was not uncommon in that era to center movies around a classical music theme, and that's what we get in the third segment, starring Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester. It's a one gag story that seems very forced, and Laughton's performance appears off to me.I agree with many that the highlight of TALES OF MANHATTAN comes in its fourth segment, starring Edward G. Robinson, with James Gleason and George Sanders. For the umpteenth time, Robinson demonstrates that he's one of the greatest actors in the history of the cinema. His long speech about his life is a masterpiece, and this Capra-esque dramedy should not be missed by anyone.The shortest segment is of W. C. Fields, with Phil Silvers, Margaret Dumont and others. Anarchic comedies built around individual performers is a longtime staple of Hollywood cinema, but it seems out of place here. For Fields completists only.Finally, we get a 'folk drama' about rural Southern blacks, starring Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. This was another sub-genre that audiences had seen before and would see again and I'm sure it was well-meant, but only the charm of the performers (and I'm not sure that Robeson did anything that was charming) is really worthwhile. Eddie Robinson towers above the rest, and Rogers and Fonda provide a solid equivalent of a good sitcom; otherwise it's not so hot. I expect that nearly everyone will be skipping to their favorite tales on any re-viewings.

dougdoepke The movie's a pretty good look at some of TCF's top stars of the day. The plot amounts to a series of vignettes that follow a dress coat as it gets passed around to a series of new owners. The trouble is the coat is supposed to be cursed so we expect some adversity to befall each new owner. Some vignettes, of course, are better than others. Personally I liked the Rogers- Fonda farcical 20-minutes best. On the other hand, I can see why the WC Fields episode was dropped from many versions since it's not the grouchy comedian at his best. (I also suspect the rather gross anatomical drawing behind his lectern didn't help.)As a movie, it's certainly different, something of a showcase and, my gosh, was Rita Hayworth ever any lovelier than here. Pairing her with a pixie-ish Thomas Mitchell as a cuckolded husband was a masterstroke. Watch how slyly he asserts himself against the over-confident Boyer. Robinson gets the most extended screen time as a down-and-out lawyer trying to impress his old school chums. I'm just sorry we didn't get to hear more of Paul Robeson's wonderful bass voice in the final darktown jubilee section. Nonetheless, it's a sprightly and satisfying way to end the saga of the accursed dress coat. The movie comes across today as an exception to the standard studio product, but is cleverly set up with a dash of humor and a touch of timeless human interest.

samgrass-3 TALES OF MANHATTAN (20th C. Fox, 1942): The name of this film could very well be "Tails of Manhattan," as it is a series of episodes linked together by a custom-made tailcoat and the fortune, or lack of, it brings to those who wear it. The first episode concerns a love triangle between Charles Boyer (the coat's first owner), Rita Hayworth, and the ever-dependable Thomas Mitchell. The coat then moves to another owner, Cesar Romero, and his pal, the shy Henry Fonda. Cesar palms off the tails on Henry Fonda who is to be best man at his wedding to Ginger Rogers. He put a love letter from another woman in the pocket and Rogers finds it. Romero has Fonda claim the cutaway – and the contents – were his. It works only too well, as Rogers dumps Romero for Fonda.The coat is then sold to a thrift shop and purchased by Elsa Lanchester for her husband, Charles Laughton, a poor musician making ends meet playing piano in a sleazy restaurant. He gets to see his dream come true by conducting the symphony he has written, but the coat dooms him when it begins to fall apart at the seams. Laughton recovers with the help of the symphony master and takes off the coat to continue his concert. At this point I have quite a few tears in my eyes. Only Laughton can get away with this. The men in the audience then show their solidarity by taking off their coats.The coat next comes into the possession of down-and-out disbarred lawyer Edward G. Robinson. James Gleason, the pastor at the mission, gives it to Eddie G. so he can attend his college reunion. While there he runs into snobbish, antagonistic classmate George Sanders, who knows the truth about Eddie G. and makes use of another classmate's loss of money to embarrass Robinson. The scene of Robinson keeping his dignity throughout the scene as he comes clean is nothing short of remarkable acting and Sanders is wonderful as his straight man. Eddie G. returns to the mission and all looks lost, but three of his classmates arrive and offer him a job on Wall Street. Again, more tears in my eyes. Eddie's reaction out of the sight on the stairs is precious. Pastor Gleason has the coat taken across the street to the Santelli Bros. used clothing store to resale. Gleason is also terrific as the pastor of the mission.The coat's next owner is W.C. Fields, playing his usual conman role. Phil Silvers does a nice turn as the seller of the coat and Fields is engaged by Margaret Dumont to speak on the evils of alcohol to Dumont's high society friends. What he doesn't know is that the coconut milk being served at the lecture has been liberally spiked by Dumont's son in revenge for here cutting off his nightlife. This marks the last appearance by Fields on film. To watch Fields delivering his lecture is truly to see a comic master at work.The coat is then taken in a burglary by J. Carroll Naish. He uses it to rob a Park Avenue social gathering. During his escape in an airplane the coat catches fire and he ends up throwing it overboard, where it lands in the field of poor farmers Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters on Christmas Eve. They bring the coat and the cash to their pastor, played by Eddie Anderson. The pastor disburses the cash to the entire community so no one goes without on Christmas.Charles Beaumont later adapted this theme for an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Dead Man's Shoes."The only glitch in the film is Boyer's heavy French accent, which reminded me so much of Pepe Le Pew that I cracked up just listening.