Mannequin (1937)

Rags-to-riches Hennessey meets newlyweds Jessie and Eddie from his old neighborhood. Eddie plots to have Jessie divorce him, marry Hennessey, divorce Hennessey, then bring Hennessey's money... See full summary »

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

Lawrence Hazard (screen play), Katharine Brush (based on the story by),

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Spencer Tracy, Alan Curtis

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Crawford	...	Jessie Cassidy
Spencer Tracy	...	John L. Hennessey
Alan Curtis	...	Eddie Miller
Ralph Morgan	...	Briggs
Mary Philips	...	Beryl (as Mary Phillips)
Oscar O'Shea	...	'Pa' Cassidy
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Mrs.Cassidy (as Elizabeth Risdon)
Leo Gorcey	...	Clifford

Storyline

Rags-to-riches Hennessey meets newlyweds Jessie and Eddie from his old neighborhood. Eddie plots to have Jessie divorce him, marry Hennessey, divorce Hennessey, then bring Hennessey's money into remarriage with Eddie. His plan goes awry at several points.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | marriage | tycoon | brooklyn new york city | party | 

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Taglines:

The Romance of a Shopgirl's Millions

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 January 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Class

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were scenes shot of Crawford and Tracy aboard ship, probably on their way to their European honeymoon, evidenced by stills of Crawford from this film standing at a ship's rail in an evening gown and jacket that appear nowhere else. These scenes apparently were later cut.

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Quotes

Jessie Cassidy: Eddie Miller took me away from Hester Street. Can't you understand that?
Miss Beryl Lee: A streetcar could have done that, and cost you less.

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Connections

Featured in Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Always and Always"
(1937)
Music by Edward Ward
Lyrics by Bob Wright and Chet Forrest
Sung by Joan Crawford (uncredited)

User Reviews

Tracy, Crawford and Borzage should add up to more than this

I hate to be a spoil sport, but I must disagree with the other reviewers who are un-restrained in their enthusiasm for the only Joan Crawford/Spencer Tracy co-starring vehicle. The movie often feels as though it had been re-heated and, while it has many admirable moments, just as many ring false. Crawford herself remains remote and aloof for much of the running time and, while Spencer Tracy probably couldn't give a false performance if he tried, his heart doesn't seem to be in it either.

The early scenes, in which Joan plays a poor, restless girl who lives in a tenement with her ne'er do well father and brother, as well as with her overworked, tired mother are so stilted and obvious they are an embarrassment. These scenes play almost like parodies of the previous Crawford vehicles POSSESSED (1931), DANCING LADY (1933) and SADIE McKEE (1934). Crawford has played this "noble girl whose ambitions will lift her out of her miserable station in life" part before, and she has played it better. Here she seems tired, like she's not even believing it herself and, although it may sound un-gallant to mention, she's a little long in the tooth to play this type of role convincingly (God forgive me).

Things brighten considerably when Tracy and Crawford begin to spark and it is the middle section of the movie that is the most enjoyable. A lot of this may stem from the fact that the middle section contains the least amount of screen time for Alan Curtis, who plays Joan's "so bad he's hissable" louse of a husband. Curtis is so one dimensional and so "obviously" rotten that you wonder what Crawford's character could EVER have seen in him.

Complaints aside, there are good and memorable moments to be found in MANNEQUIN. When Tracy and Crawford are alone on-screen, they both seem to be off of their game, but together, they have a haunting chemistry that transcends explanation. They both manage to convey that they truly understand and accept what the other is thinking, a rarity in film. It makes MANNEQUIN all the more frustrating when we get glimpses of what made these two the magnificent stars they were. It disappoints me that they never worked together again in a project more worthy of their combined talents.

Standing in dramatic counterpoint to Crawford's 1938 "box office poison" label, MANNEQUIN was a big hit with audiences early that year. Other, more ambitious (and in my opinion, more interesting) Crawford vehicles such as THE BRIDE WORE RED (1937) and THE SHINING HOUR (1938), however, were not.