Manslaughter (1930)

A spoiled young rich girl is sent to prison for accidentally running down a pedestrian. There she learns about a life and people she had never even imagined existed before. Upon her release... See full summary »

Director:

George Abbott

Writers:

George Abbott (adaptation), Alice Duer Miller (novel)

Stars:

Claudette Colbert, Fredric March, Emma Dunn

Cast

Cast overview:
Claudette Colbert	...	Lydia Thorne
Fredric March	...	Dan O'Bannon
Emma Dunn	...	Miss Bennett
Natalie Moorhead	...	Eleanor Bellington
Richard Tucker	...	J.P. Albee, Attorney
Hilda Vaughn	...	Louise Evans
G. Pat Collins	...	John Drummond
Steve Pendleton	...	Bobby (as Gaylord Pendleton)
Stanley Fields	...	Peters
Arnold Lucy	...	Piers
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Morson
Irving Mitchell	...	Foster

Storyline

A spoiled young rich girl is sent to prison for accidentally running down a pedestrian. There she learns about a life and people she had never even imagined existed before. Upon her release, she realizes that she is in love wiht the District Attorney who reluctantly prosecuted her case, a man who was in love with her but who she had previously scorned.

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Plot Keywords:

women's prison | remake | based on novel

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Homicida

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on June 20, 1938 with Fredric March reprising his film role.

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Goofs

When Colbert drives off after being stopped by the traffic cop, we can hear the car's brakes squeal the moment it's out of camera range.

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Connections

Alternate-language version of Leichtsinnige Jugend (1931)

User Reviews

on the boring side of average

Lydia (Claudette Colbert) is wealthy and selfish. She has no time for others as is illustrated when her maid Evans (Hilda Vaughn) is sent to prison for theft. Lydia's evidence could prevent Evans from going to jail but she forgets to turn up. She meets with O'Bannon (Fredric March), a lawyer who is committed to equal rights for rich and poor and although they fall in love, his principles do not sit comfortably with her behaviour. After a car accident in which a policeman dies, he takes the case for prosecution against her and she is sent to prison. How does she cope and what will O'Bannon do next?....

The film is OK to begin with but every scene is just a little too long and so the film starts to drag. The cast are good but the story could have been told at a better pace and with a little more excitement. The way the film resolves itself is rather sudden and convenient for all involved.