Adventure in Manhattan **** (1936, Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Thomas Mitchell, Reginald Owen) – Classic Movie Review 13,713

The delicious 1936 screwball comedy thriller film Adventure in Manhattan stars Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Thomas Mitchell, and Reginald Owen.

Director Edward Ludwig’s 1936 Columbia Pictures American black and white comedy thriller film Adventure in Manhattan [Manhattan Madness] stars Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Thomas Mitchell, and Reginald Owen. It is written by Sidney Buchman, Harry Sauber and Jack Kirkland, based on the novel Purple and Fine Linen by May Edginton.

Jean Arthur stars as an actress called Claire Peyton, who helps conceited newspaper crime writer/ criminologist George Melville (Joel McCrea) stop master art burglar Blackton Gregory (Reginald Owen), in an unusual, tastily concocted mix of screwball comedy, romance, crime thriller and melodrama.

The sharp performances from the very good star players (also including Thomas Mitchell as newspaper managing editor Phil Bane), the attractive names in the support cast, the bright screenplay and the fast pace of the direction in a short running time of 73 minutes all combine to help to raise it easily a couple of notches out of the rut.

Adventure in Manhattan [or Manhattan Madness in its UK title] is a delicious, little-known vintage treat, much recommended.

Cast: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Thomas Mitchell, Reginald Owen, Herman Bing, John Gallaudet, Emmett Vogan, George Cooper, Robert Warwick, Victor Kilian, Robert Dudley, Wallis Clark, William ‘Billly’ Benedict, Bess Flowers, Edward Earle, John Hamilton, John Eldredge, Leyland Hodgson, Frank Mayo, Bert Moorhouse, Barnett Parker, Lee Prather, Dick Rush, Larry Steers, Emerson Treacy, John Tyrrell, Theodore von Eltz, Robert Walker, Lloyd Whitlock, Charles C Wilson.

Release date: October 8, 1936.

Running time: 73 minutes.

Popular British writer May Edginton is credited as May Edington on the film. The uncredited adaptation of her novel is by John Howard Lawson. Misspelt? Uncredited? It’s a tough world for writers.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,713

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