David Manners Movies
A descendant of William the Conqueror (or so his studio publicity claimed), Canadian actor David Manners was brought to films by director James Whale, who cast the personable, aristocratic-looking young man in the 1930 filmization of Journey's End. It was Manners' thankless task to be the handsome but ineffectual hero of many a horror film: he was forever being knocked out, locked out, or otherwise detained from promptly rescuing the heroine in such films as Dracula (1931), The Mummy (1932) and The Black Cat (1934). He was better served as one of the Hemingwayesque heroes in The Last Flight (1931) and the unfortunate title character in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935). Manners quit film acting in 1936 to pursue a satisfying career as stage performer and novelist. Living in wealthy retirement in his 80s, David Manners was frequently an interview subject for books about his famous Hollywood associates (John Barrymore, Tod Browning, Boris Karloff et. al.); his recollections were always crystal clear, always amusing, and always unadorned (to Mr. Manners, Dracula star Bela Lugosi was nothing more or less than "a pain in the ass"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1934
In this romantic comedy, the king of Ruritania marries an impoverished commoner after he is exiled. Trouble shows up when the king must return to his country and marry an heiress. Fortunately, his first bride has fallen for an army officer and is happy to have her royal marriage annulled. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1931
George Arliss is the millionaire of the title, a retired auto tycoon who's been ordered by his doctor to rest and avoid exercise. Arliss is shaken out of his sedentary existence by an insurance salesman who advises him to pick himself up and enjoy life. The old man heads to California, where he conceals his identity and goes to work for a service station. Given a new lease on life, the millionaire amuses himself by playing matchmaker with his own daughter (Evelyn Knapp) and the go-getting young service station manager (David Manners). Barely distinguishable from George Arliss' other non-historical vehicles, The Millionaire is given an added dimension by James Cagney, who shows up for three wonderful minutes as the friendly insurance agent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Arliss, Evelyn Knapp, (more)
- 1931
A minister's daughter finds fame as an evangelist but struggles with her own lack of faith in Frank Capra's impassioned drama. Inspired by the true story of Aimee Semple McPherson, the film follows the rise to prominence of Florence Fallon (Barbara Stanwyck). Disillusioned by the mistreatment of her dying father by his church, Florence grows cynical about religion. She nevertheless retains an intimate knowledge of the Bible and natural flair for preaching, talents put to use by promoter Bob Hornsby (Sam Hardy) in a series of phony revival meetings, complete with staged healings and other stunts. Florence plays along, but she soon comes to take her religious mission more seriously, especially after a blind songwriter John Carson (David Manners) claims that her preaching saved his life. Guilt-ridden Florence decides to go straight, but Hornsby sets out to stop her, seeing her new-found morality -- and her budding romance with John -- as a threat to his lucrative business. Foreshadowing many of his better-known classics, Capra addresses issues about the manipulation of the public and the importance of truth while also presenting an unlikely romance. The film's treatment of religion was considered controversial on its initial release; it now seems justifiably complex but far from critical. The film's most notable element is the intense lead performance from Stanwyck, whose combination of fiery charisma and vulnerability is magnetic and convincing, providing Capra's ambitious drama with a gripping emotional core. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Stanwyck, David Manners, (more)
- 1934
Comparatively little known, this Monogram thriller is a remarkably concise adaptation of Wilkie Collins' lengthy 1868 mystery novel The Moonstone. On a dark and stormy night, Franklin Blake (David Manners) and his Hindu manservant Yandoo (John Davidson) arrive at Vandier Manor to deliver the Moonstone, a priceless gem stolen from an Indian temple way back in 1799. The recipient is Anne Verinder (Phyllis Barry), who despite being warned to lock the Moonstone away in the family vault, chooses to place it under her pillow. Sure enough, the gem is stolen during the night, right from under the sleeping Anne. Scotland Yard inspector Cliff (Charles Irwin) has quite an array of suspects to choose from, the most obvious of whom is usurious Septimus Lucker (Gustav von Seyfertitz). One murder and one assault later, Inspector Cliff reveals the genuine culprit -- who, in time-honored tradition, is the least likely and most cooperative of the suspects. The Moonstone is a prime example of what can be accomplished on a small budget with a little extra time and care. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Manners, Phyllis Barry, (more)
The Mummy represented Boris Karloff's second horror starring role after his "overnight" success in Frankenstein. Brought back to life after nearly 3,700 years, Egyptian high priest Imhotep wreaks havoc upon the members of the British field exposition that disturbed his tomb (shades of the King Tut curse). While disguised as a contemporary Egyptologist, he falls in love with Zita Johann, whom he recognizes as the latest incarnation of a priestess who died nearly 40 centures earlier. Spiriting Zita away to the tomb, he relates the story of how he had dared to enter her ancestor's sacred burial crypt, hoping to restore her to life. Caught in the act, he was embalmed alive and his tongue was cut out for his act of sacrilege. Now that he has returned, he intends to slay Zita, so that they will be reunited for all time in the Hereafter. Despite its melodramatic trappings, The Mummy is essentially a love story, poetically related by ace cinematographer and first-time director Karl Freund. Jack Pierce's justly celebrated makeup skills offers us two Karloffs: the wizened Egyptologist and the flaking, rotting mummy, who though only seen for a few seconds remains in the memory long after the film's final image has faded. Best line: "It went for a little walk." The Mummy was followed by four stock footage-laden sequels, none of which approached the power and poignancy of the original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, (more)
- 1935
Charles Dickens' unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, has been a source of speculation and controversy ever since its posthumous publication. Even so, the ending concocted by scenarists John Balderston and Gladys Unger for the 1935 film version of Edwin Drood met with near-unanimous approval from Dickens buffs, who felt that Balderston and Unger had remained faithful to the author's original intention. Claude Rains stars as John Jasper, the seemingly respectable choirmaster of Cloisterham Cathedral. What no one suspects is that Jasper is an opium addict, given to fits of paranoia and jealousy. Pushing him over the edge is the fact that his beautiful ward, Rosa Bud (Heather Angel), has fallen in love with handsome Edwin Drood (David Manners). That Drood is murdered by Jasper is made abundantly clear: it is the mystery of how he was murdered and how Jasper disposed of the body that holds the viewer's interest. The film's relatively short running time required the screenwriters to drop several of Dickens' more colorful supporting characters: of those retained, Francis L. Sullivan is a standout as Mr. Crisparkle. The Mystery of Edwin Drood was transformed into a Broadway musical in 1980s (which offered several alternate endings), then was refilmed in 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Rains, Douglass Montgomery, (more)
Still hanging on in 1935 despite several financial setbacks, brave little Majestic Pictures continued turning out such worthwhile programmers as The Perfect Clue. Eloping with boyfriend Ronnie Van Zandt (Skeets Gallagher), madcap heiress Mona Stewart (Dorothy Libaire) changes her mind about marriage and runs away from her fiancé. Mona hires a car in a small town, only to discover that her chauffeur, David Mannerling (David Manners) is a hold-up man who robs her and leaves her stranded in the middle of nowhere. Having a change of heart, David returns to Mona, promising to behave himself for the rest of the ride. This proves difficult when the mismatched couple gets mixed up in a murder case, with David winding up the prime suspect. The most amusing aspect of The Perfect Clue is that neither hero nor heroine are terribly bright; truth to tell, they're both dumb as doornails. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Manners, Dorothy Libaire, (more)
- 1930
In this melodrama, two young people fall in love and desire to wed, but their union is opposed by their families. As a result, the two decide to make love out of wedlock and the girl gets pregnant. Not long afterward, her young lover is killed and she must raise her baby alone until a much older man begins to take an interest in her. Her family is all for the union and without enthusiasm, she agrees to marry him. She then bears a daughter and swears that her daughter will know true romance. Unfortunately, she is again opposed by her husband the religious fanatic who ends up sending the girl to China as a missionary. While abroad, she meets a handsome young man, and begins to fall in love. This is confusing for her until her dying mother sends her a telepathic message encouraging her to go ahead and fall in love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, (more)
- 1931
Originally titled Upper Underworld, The Ruling Voice stars Walter Huston as a powerful underworld chieftain who covers his crooked activities in a cloak of respectability. Cold-blooded in all business matters, Huston cares only for the welfare of his beloved daughter Loretta Young, whom he has been careful to shield from his criminal cohorts. When she learns the truth, Young angrily walks out of her father's life, a blow compounded when his "trusted" henchman Dudley Digges betrays him. In a last-ditch effort at redemption, Huston puts his own life on the line to rescue his daughter from her rival-gangster kidnappers. The final shot in The Ruling Voice is a gem, with the newspaper bearing the headline of Huston's downfall being used to wrap a dead fish. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Huston, Loretta Young, (more)
- 1930
The Truth About Youth is the third film version of Henry V. Esmond's play, When We Were Twenty-One. Richard Dane (David Manners) is turning twenty-one, and his guardian, Dick Carewe (Conway Tearle) has arranged a nice surprise party for him. Unfortunately, Richard (nicknamed "Imp") never shows up for the party, as he is celebrating in his own wild and free way. This includes visiting a nightclub where the seductive Kara (Myrna Loy) holds forth. Kara has a habit of toying with the affections of young men until she gets bored with them -- which is usually when their money runs out. Not knowing that Richard has no money, Kara quickly becomes involved with him. This does not sit well with Carewe, who hopes to arrange a marriage between his Richard and the sweet, simple Phyllis (Loretta Young), daughter of his housekeeper. Unbeknownst to Carewe, however, Phyllis is in love with him, despite the fact that he is much older than she. Matters become complicated when Richard marries Kara, only to be thrown out by her when she discovers his true financial status. Carewe continues his efforts to bring Richard and Phyllis together, but Phyllis finally makes her true feelings known, and she and Carewe finally get together. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, David Manners, (more)
- 1933
In this racy (for 1933) satire set in 800 BC, an overbearing band of Amazon women rule their men with an iron fist. They live in the land of Pontus. Their buxom queen is married. Like all Pontus men, her spouse is an utter panty-waist in the face of his women. Still things are going well in the land until a veritable Greek god of a handsome hunk leads his army in for an invasion. The strong-willed women are bowled over by these indomitable, muscle men. The queen's sister soon falls in love with one of them. The other women gladly allow the conquerors to rule them. Centuries pass, and though the leadership has changed, the women are still warriors and still prefer to have their menfolk at home. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elissa Landi, Marjorie Rambeau, (more)
- 1932
Though only 19, Loretta Young was an established Hollywood star in 1932, appearing in six films in that year alone. In They Call It Sin, Young plays Marion, a church organist in a picturesque Kansas village. She falls in love with visiting city slicker Jimmy (David Manners) -- who, worse luck, is already married to Enid (Helen Vinson). Arriving in New York to try her luck as a songwriter, Marion continues to be strung along by Jimmy, while faithful Tony (George Brent), who has loved her all along, suffers in stoic silence. All the various plot strands are neatly tied up when Humphries (Louis Calhern), a cagey theatrical producer with evil designs on Marion, takes a headlong plunge from his penthouse apartment. They Call It Sin was based on a novel by Alberta Stedman Eagan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, George Brent, (more)
- 1933
In this musical drama from directors Alexander Hall and George Somnes, Claudette Colbert stars as Sally Trent, a children's radio show host by day and a nightclub singer by night. After giving her only child (a daughter) up for adoption amid hard times, Sally uses the listeners of her show as surrogate children while she searches for the girl in hopes of being reunited. Unfortunately, the girl's father also has plans of tracking him down. Penned by songwriters Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin, some of the songs in the film include "Don't Be a Cry Baby," "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Love," "It's a Long Dark Night," "The Torch Singer". ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudette Colbert, Ricardo Cortez, (more)
