Manslaughter (1930) User Reviews

The Long and Winding Road

[1930s_Time_Machine · 7/10 · 18 November 2023]

Honestly, for a film from 1931 this is as perfectly made as possible. The story is totally absorbing which will appeal to everyone whatever your tastes. The production and acting is superb - faultless and thoroughly enjoyable.

Claudette Colbert is perfect as 'the rich girl who lives on the hill.' She's adorably lovely, naively unaware of her own privilege and innocently unaware of the consequences of her entitled lifestyle. Everyone who knows Lydia loves her and that's all down to Colbert's natural acting. You thoroughly believe that Lydia is a real person you're watching, a real person whom you could fall in love with.

Fredric March is always one of the most naturally likeable guys of the pre-code era and that's no exception in this. His character is a little too good to be true at times but that's needed to offset some of the stuffy over-privileged attitudes of the 'old money' patriarchs of the town. His character is the voice of the common man. He's the one who asks the question, the theme of this picture: should justice be the same for the rich and the poor. That it's actually debated whether rich people have to go to jail seems weird and antiquated at first but then again, have things really changed?

The injustice theme would have been handled very differently, much more vociferously were this made by Warner Brothers. Were it a WB film, her time in jail would probably have made Lydia a much more remorseful like some sort of sexy Scrooge on Christmas Day. In this, her character isn't really changed that much which makes you feel a little annoyed with her but that's actually more realistic and adds to the authenticity.

Now The Silent Version...

[boblipton · 6/10 · 22 November 2020]

In this talkie remake of the 1922 Cecil B. De Mille movie, Claudette Colbert is the rich, careless girl who runs down a police officer; Frederick March is the District Attorney who is first her lover, and then her prosecutor. In the silent version, these roles had been taken by Beatrice Joy and Thomas Meighan.

Under the direction of George Abbott, who was taking a wanderjahr in Hollywood, the performances are excellent. Archie Stout offers camerawork that is simultaneously American, yet offers a shadow-filled prison that looks a bit Germanic. The dialogue is slightly coy for a Pre-Code movie, but there's no mistaking what is going on when March wins her conviction then quits his job to go on a long drunk.

It's a proper three-act drama with an epilogue. In the first, Miss Colbert is a heedless young thing, who gets caught speeding and then drops a bracelet as a bribe for the speed cop. In the second, her maid has stolen her bracelet, and Miss Colbert agrees to testify for her, but can't be bothered. On finding out, she speeds to the court, strikes the officer she bribed, and witnesses what happens when she kills someone. She goes through a wide range of emotions under Abbott's direction. In the epilogue...

It's a well-made and affecting story, and the leads do a fine job. Nonetheless, Demille's version hangs a heavy pall over this, even though it is claimed as his worst movie. I really can't say. It's been a long time since I saw it, and have no clear memory. I shall have to remedy that gap.

Enjoyable romantic drama

[touser2004 · 7/10 · 29 June 2017]

For a 1930 film the picture quality was surprisingly good,most impressive was the crash scene ,where Colberts reckless driving causes the death and leads to her conviction. Considering this was a very early performance by her ,she plays the part very well- portraying a lack of sensitivity but without being malicious As good as she is ,I have to reluctantly admit that March steals the show -his pain and torment fill up the screen

Claudette is adorable

[HotToastyRag · 6/10 · 17 July 2018]

Claudette Colbert is so adorable! I know Clara Bow was called the "It Girl," but Claudette Colbert was easily the prettiest, cutest, classiest, most charming actress of the 1930s. And she always wore such beautiful clothes!

In Manslaughter, Claudette plays a spoiled, callous rich girl who enjoys getting her way as often as she does. At a party, she meets and falls in love with Fredric March, the district attorney. Although they are very attracted to each other, their moral outlooks are quite different. Freddie chastises her for bribing a police officer, and she encourages him to skip work in order to party all night long. Then, when Claudette's reckless behavior lands her in court, their love is tested.

It's always so fun to watch pre-code films, and flirtations run off Claudette's tongue effortlessly. The very end is a little silly, but the rest of the movie is a very entertaining drama. If you like early talkies that still carry the feel of silent films, like using title cards and no background music, check this out and get ready to fall in love with Claudette Colbert!

Another great Paramount talkie!

[arthursward · 10/10 · 23 August 2007]

Depression moviegoers got a 2-for-1 treat with this melodrama. A festive romance, complete with water skiing and dance parties highlight the first half. An effective and convincing set up for the 'manslaughter' to follow.

Claudete Colbert is mesmerizing as the unrepentant poor-little-rich-girl Lydia Thorne. She is too busy enjoying life's party to feel her conscience, bribing a cop rather than accept a speeding ticket. And when her maid is convicted of stealing her jewels, Lydia's bridge game is more important than a kind word to the judge. A word that would bring years of freedom to her maid's life.

Enter straight shooting District Attourney Dan O'Bannon (Frederic March). He's busy schmoozing political heavyweights with "equal justice for rich and poor" when he falls under Lydia's spell.

Miss Colbert literally sparkles in Archie Stout's photography. Principally backlit, her satin gown and diamond necklace shimmer in the star filter and complete the trap for O'Bannon and viewer alike. Lots of overhead and dolly shots keep the eye-candy coming. This beautifully mounted production gives no clue why Mr. Stout would be doing the cheapo John Wayne westerns 3 years later. Amazingly, Archie Stout would go onto shoot the sumptuously photographed Angel And The Badman for Wayne years later! An automobile accident (not a run over pedestrian as suggested above) triggers the second half of the film and the regeneration of our heroine, and not without delicious plot twists and turns.

Great performances and production make this a must see for the avid talkie buff. And Claudette Colbert fans will be well pleased to find her already in top gear.

on the boring side of average

[AAdaSC · 4/10 · 4 August 2009]

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.

Sensational Society/Crime Melodrama with Very Young Colbert & March

[HarlowMGM · 10/10 · 17 November 2008]

MANSLAUGHTER is a highly engrossing early talkie melodrama with very early film performances of two of the great players from Hollywood's golden era, Claudette Colbert and Fredric March. Claudette Colbert stars as a spoiled heiress who believes there are two sets of laws, one for the rich and one for the poor. Young district attorney Fredric March believes quite the opposite - equal justice and punishment for everyone. They meet at a dinner party and romantic sparks fly and both are infatuated.

But trouble is around the corner. March learns Claudette has attempted to bribe a young cop after being caught speeding by dropping her diamond bracelet on the ground and driving away which leads to a scene between them and any romantic possibilities crushed. And then Colbert's faithful maid Hilda Vaughn steals some of her jewels in a weak moment for her boyfriend and confesses. Self-centered Claudette however can't be bothered to remember the date of Vaughn's trial which results in her receiving a sentence of up to 15 years. Horrified to learn of the results, Claudette zooms off to see what she can do belatedly but her speeding this time results in a fatality and her being charged for manslaughter - and with the prosecuting attorney set to be March!

This type of melodrama was extremely popular in the early days of talkies - Norma Shearer won much acclaim for THE TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN and a Academy Award nomination for A FREE SOUL, Mary Pickford won an Oscar for COQUETTE. Although I've never seen DUGAN, I can't help but feel Claudette Colbert's sterling performance even at this very early stage in her career topped them all. Her pampered socialite is a fully three dimensional character - selfish yes, but not an obnoxious, unfeeling person even when she is successful at getting things her way. She is matched by the dashing young March as the young man with ideals who cannot compromise his integrity even if it means prosecuting a woman he knows he is in love with, even as it tears at his heart.

Emma Dunn is fine in a rare moneyed role as Colbert's loving and supportive aunt, Natalie Moorhead, generally cast as a menace in films, does well with her small part as one of Claudette's best friends but the standout in the supporting cast is the wonderful Hilda Vaughn who latter-day audiences surely know best as Jean Harlow's maid in DINNER AT EIGHT (1933) . Ms. Vaughn has a startlingly similar situation here as the put-upon maid on a spoiled socialite (with a diamond bracelet playing a key role in the proceedings again!!) but this role even gives her more to work with than DINNER and she has two wonderful little scenes in the prison when she and her former boss are finally on equal ground. (There's also a brief bit of unintentional humor for movie buffs with Louise Beavers' bit part as one of the inmates, seeing the two stars of the later IMITATION OF LIFE (1934) in jail side by side makes one wonder if that pancake corporation was on the up and up LOL.)

Claudette Colbert and Fredric March were the perfect co-stars for each other, it's regrettable their only work together was so early in their careers and of their four films only DeMille's SIGN OF THE CROSS is easily seen. It's clear from MANSLAUGHTER that these were two stars who were wonderful from day one.

He loves her, but his duty is clear

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 13 February 2013]

Fredric March and Claudette Colbert were two new and upcoming players that Paramount studios signed with the coming of sound. Both would do much better work individually and collectively in the future. But for now they were doing films like Manslaughter.

Which is what Claudette committed when she was speeding and a young motorcycle cop was chasing her and plowed into her vehicle. Colbert is a spoiled young heiress who likes to party like there's no tomorrow and loves that snappy roadster of her's. Not helping her case is the fact that she's got a history of speeding.

March is a promising young prosecutor with a bright future. He's falling in love with Colbert, but when she kills that traffic cop who is a friend of his, March's duty is clear. He has a slam dunk case for vehicular homicide and he prosecutes with vigor and then resigns in remorse.

Now in real life no way do people like these get together, but believe it or not in Manslaughter they do. It's clear what stars March and Colbert would become and they do their best to make this somewhat palatable. But there best isn't good enough, no one's best would be.

Why Paramount Had Faith in Claudette Colbert

[kidboots · 9/10 · 24 December 2014]

Paramount had high hopes for Claudette when she was signed in 1928. She had, by bad luck, been in a string of unsuccessful Broadway plays (except for "The Barker") and was now eager to try her hand at the movies. Before "Manslaughter" it hadn't looked promising - she had supported Edward G. Robinson in a very creaky stage bound crime movie, then played "the girl" as Maurice Chevalier went through his bag of tricks in "The Big Pond" and was also in the French language version of "Slightly Scarlet". But when Clara Bow's personal problems forced Paramount to replace her with Claudette in the upcoming "Manslaughter", Colbert grabbed the meaty role with both hands. It may have been an out-dated melodrama but with credentials that included being a remake of a Cecil B. DeMille silent blockbuster, it was a chance for her to tackle an A class production.

Lydia Thorne (Colbert) is a spoiled rich girl who is heedless of the sober advice of her beloved aunt "Bennie" (Emma Dunn) as she sets out for a wild week-end in her roadster!! And what a ride it is, weaving in between traffic, racing a train, bribing an officer who tries to give her a ticket - she is riding for a fall!! She meets up and coming D.A. Dan O'Bannon (Frederic March) who around the dinner table espouses his views of justice for rich and poor alike - it doesn't go down too well with the country club set. Reality starts to filter into Lydia's privileged life - the young officer goes to O'Bannon with Lydia's bracelet claiming she tried to use it as a bribe, then her maid is found to have robbed the safe which contains Lydia's jewels, Lydia says the jewels don't mean a thing to her and she will go to the trial to testify in Louisa's defense but she forgets and the maid is sentenced to years imprisonment. Then there is another episode of "race the policeman", Lydia jack-knifes her car hoping to send the same young constable sprawling!! He does but unfortunately is pronounced dead at the hospital and suddenly Lydia finds herself facing a manslaughter charge and years in prison!!

Claudette really rose to the occasion once Lydia dropped her flippancy and put on her "martyred" mantel and also showed why she was a bit different from other Paramount stars of the time (Bow, Carroll, Chatterton) - she was believable in what ever she was given and didn't seem to make bad career choices as far as parts went. In prison Lydia comes face to face with her maid who after becoming involved in a prison brawl, extends a helping hand.

Lydia leaves prison (after 3 years) chastened but believing that Dan had promotional motives for sending her "up the river" - not realising he put his job on the line to secure her a pardon and she is now striving to get Louise released. An excellent film and as usual Claudette is just terrific in a demanding role.

Highly Recommended.