Tales of Manhattan (1942)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Are you ready for a 1942 Hollywood fairytale about (get this!) an expensively made, formal tailcoat that's been cursed (by its disgruntled cutter) to bring despair and misfortune to anyone who wears it? (Duh!)Well, that's exactly what "Tales of Manhattan" is all about and its story is presented to the viewer in 5, 25-minute, interlaced segments that certainly make its point loud and clear.If nothing else - This b&w "WTF!?" comedy/drama was certainly an expensive production and it sure didn't skimp when it came to jumping on the high-fashion bandwagon.IMO - This disappointing picture was just another lame excuse for 20th Century Fox to star lots of big-name actors in one cockamamie picture (in hopes of reaping in huge profits, no doubt).My final analysis - Nothing special here.

I expected an early 40's cheer me up type of film but got a really entertaining look into how a Tops and Tails coat effects the lives of everyone it comes into contact with.I could go into each of the 6 stories but it would take too long. A coat is designed by a tailor and his best sewer decides to quit and throws a curse on the coat. After this, we get 6 really interesting stories on how the coat will effect each one. With loads of star power from Charles Boyer to Edward G. Robinson and Ginger Rogers. There are just bags full of great actors in this and they all do a very good job for each of their stories. Some are funny and some are uplifting. If I were to pick one of the bunch that I really liked it would be the one with Edward G. Robinson. Watch a master at work. He's just a superb actor and in his section of this fine film, he shows you why he's so well regarded.Not a lot to say about a film with so much to see. Just trust me. Give it a watch and see a lot of familiar faces give you 2 hours of entertainment you won't forget.

The somber men bringing a box to Paul Orman's apartment, as the story begins, are tailors that want to assure their client the tails coat suit they are delivering will fit him perfectly. Alas, the suit serves as a sort of a link that holds together the history of a suit, and the people that wear it. Each of the five narratives are different from one another. With the exception of the last one, Julien Duvivier's excellent American film is a joy to watch.The film boasts a galaxy of collaborators. Twentieth Century Fox produced the film during the period of WWII, as it gathered talent from the film industry that came together in a movie that should be seen by serious fans. Julien Duvivier, a distinguished French director, came to Hollywood during the years of the conflict in Europe. He had a natural talent for getting the best out of his cast and crew, as he proves in here.Some of the best figures working in movies during those years came together in what appears to be a coup of casting. Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell and Eugene Palette are featured in the initial sequence. Cesar Romero, Ginger Rogers, Henry Fonda, Gail Patrick and Roland Young are seen in the second story. Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester and Victor Francen appear in the third installment. The great Edgar G. Robinson, James Gleason, George Sanders, and Henry Davenport, make their segment one of the best ones in the picture. The last one is not too shabby either, it showed performers of the stature of Ethel Waters, Paul Robeson and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson in the last tale, which is a bit too mawkish to end the film. All the players assembled for this project do wonders under Mr. Duvivier's guidance.The writing was not too bad either. Distinguished writers of the stature of Donald Ogden Stewart, Ben Hecht, Ferenc Molnar, and even an uncredited Buster Keaton enhanced the stories for the viewer's enjoyment. Joseph Walker's cinematography worked wonders, as did the art direction by Richard Day and Boris Leven. One of the highlights of the film is the hunting lodge of the first story full of antlers. The musical score is credited to Sol Kaplan.Fans of Julien Duvivier should not miss his fantastic vision in "Tales of Manhattan".

Over the past thirty years, I had compiled an extensive collection of film on VHS (mostly)and DVD. Over the past three months, I have been converting select movies from VHS to DVDR. Picture quality, film worthiness, rarity, and replacement cost issues have lead me to relegate many movies to the recycle bin. I am still struggling with many "borderline cases," "Tales of Manhattan" being one such film. Yesterday, I deemed it worthy of transfer. Boy am I glad I did! If you're a collector, you'll identify with the phenomenon of having many more movies in your collection than viewed. Thus was the case with "Tales ... " until last night. What a gem! Not only is the cast remarkable, but the stories easily hold ones interest. But for the final tale which seems to evoke a locale far south of the others, each story trumps its predecessor. But for the last, each tale ties to New York City in a meaningful way.As I often do with films of this era, I purposely chose to concentrate on the piece as social studies and film history lesson. Frankly, the stories and acting were too good to allow this. I was caught up in the characters and their dilemmas,and in the tasteful reflections on the various social classes represented. I found the fabric (sorry for the lame pun) that connects the otherwise unrelated tales intriguing in a slightly cornball way.I strongly recommend this film for many reasons, most notably its cast which includes Elsa Lanchester, George Sanders, Thomas Mitchell, Rochester ... They represent some of the supporting cast! "Tales of Manhattan" left me pondering why such acting greats as Edward G. Robinson and Charles Laughton are not usually placed with Brando, Olivier, March and Stewart in the pantheon of great film actors.