Tales of Manhattan (1942)

An actor, Paul Orman, is accidentally told that his new, custom made tail coat has been cursed and it will bring misfortune to all who wear it. As the 4 succeeding wearers of the coat ... See full summary »

Director:

Julien Duvivier

Writers:

Henry Blankfort, Alan Campbell,

Stars:

Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, Ginger Rogers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Boyer	...	Paul Orman
Rita Hayworth	...	Ethel Halloway
Ginger Rogers	...	Diane
Henry Fonda	...	George
Charles Laughton	...	Charles Smith
Edward G. Robinson	...	Avery L. 'Larry' Browne
Paul Robeson	...	Luke
Ethel Waters	...	Esther
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Rev. Lazarus
Thomas Mitchell	...	John Halloway
Eugene Pallette	...	Luther
Cesar Romero	...	Harry Wilson
Gail Patrick	...	Ellen
Roland Young	...	Edgar
Marion Martin	...	'Squirrel'

Storyline

An actor, Paul Orman, is accidentally told that his new, custom made tail coat has been cursed and it will bring misfortune to all who wear it. As the 4 succeeding wearers of the coat discover, misfortune can often lead to truth.

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Plot Keywords:

coat | reunion | composer | actor | lawyer | 

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Taglines:

An Experience You'll never forget !

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stars Over Manhattan

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min 127 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

W.C. Fields appeared in a section of the film that was cut from film that was cut from the final version. It has been restored to the video version. Also in the segment are Margaret Dumont and Phil Silvers.

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Quotes

George: I know my own tailcoat!
Diane: Well, you didn't last night!

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Connections

Spoofed in Ratataa (1956)

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Soundtracks

"Far Above Cayuga's Waters"
aka "Alma Mater"
Music from the song "Annie Lisle"
Written by H.S. Thompson
Played during the alley scene

User Reviews

some parts are very good, some parts are great==overall an exceptional flick

This movie is made up of many vignettes featuring many capable stars--all centering on the same second-hand tuxedo as it is passed on from one owner to the next. I won't try to elaborate on all the segments, as one of the previous reviewers did a very thorough job of describing them. However, they are all extremely well-crafted and engaging. I would also agree that stylistically, this film is reminiscent of IF I HAD A MILLION, though the stories in Tales of Manhattan are generally less funny but more polished.

The one portion of the movie that really stood out for me was the one featuring the down-and-out Edward G. Robinson attending his college class reunion (from Harvard, I think). He goes in a tattered old hand-me-down tux hoping to fool his old chums into thinking he's made it in life. You really feel for the guy in his plight--especially when a mean-spirited member of the class seeks to expose the ruse! So give it a try, why don't ya?