Romance in Manhattan *** (1935, Francis Lederer, Ginger Rogers, Arthur Hohl) – Classic Movie Review 6959

Director Stephen Roberts’s 1935 comedy/romance film is the Green Card of its day in its story that has a hapless foreigner, Karel Novak (Francis Lederer), a naive Czech immigrant, who arrives at Ellis Island in New York with $58.

But Novak must have $200 or be sent home, so he escapes from the ship going back,  jumps off, swimming to Manhattan, and is rescued by dock workers. But he loses his money in his wallet on shore.

Novak is unable to work legally in the metropolis, but meets, is aided by, and then falls in love with, an American woman, Sylvia Dennis (Ginger Rogers), a 19-year-old chorus girl who lets him sleep on her apartment building roof. But he soon falls into the clutches of shyster lawyer Halsey J Pander (Arthur Hohl).

What at first appears to be just a Ginger Rogers vehicle soon develops into a sparkling romantic comedy that is far better than expected.

The witty screenplay by Jane Murfin and Edward Kaufman, from a story by Norman Krasna and Don Hartman, is treated with a light touch by director Roberts, and that is combined with charismatic performances by Lederer and Rogers, in this enchanting minor gem of a movie.

Also in the cast are J Farrell MacDonald, Eily Malyon, Donald Meek, Helen Ware, Oscar Apfel, Sidney Toler, Harold Goodwin, Christian Rub, Lillian Harmer, Reginald Barlow, Frank Sheridan, Irving Bacon and Andy Clyde.

Romance in Manhattan is directed by Stephen Roberts, runs 78 minutes, is produced and released by RKO Radio Pictures, is written by Jane Murfin and Edward Kaufmann, from a story by Norman Krasna and Don Hartman, is shot in black and white by Nick Musuraca, is produced by Pandro S Berman, is scored by Al Colombo, and is designed by Van Nest Polglase.

Roberts died of a heart attack on 17 July 1936, aged 40, a starry career cut horribly short.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6959

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