Manhattan Melodrama
1934 · Movie · NR · 93 min · ★ 7.1 · 76% critics
Two childhood friends grow up together after tragedy, but adulthood pulls them to opposite sides of the law. When they both care for the same woman, loyalty, ambition, and conscience collide, forcing hard choices that test what their friendship can survive.
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Details
- Years
- 1934
- Release date
- 1934-05-04
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Critic score
- 76/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (80 votes)
About
If you enjoy classic crime melodramas with sharp banter, big moral dilemmas, and star-driven tension, this should land well; Not for you if you want realism, surprises, or a consistently brisk pace like Love Affair.
Pros: strong lead chemistry; witty dialogue; engaging moral conflict | Cons: slow corny opening; far-fetched plot turns; uneven final stretch
Themes
- friendship
- woman between two men
- organized crime
- orphan
- pre-code
- opposite sides of the law
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Story · 1935
- Academy Award — Best Story · 1935 · nominated
Cast & crew
Clark Gable
as Edward J. 'Blackie' Gallagher
William Powell
as Jim Wade
Myrna Loy
as Eleanor Packer
Leo Carrillo
as Father Joe
Nat Pendleton
as Spud
George Sidney
as Poppa Rosen
Isabel Jewell
as Annabelle
Muriel Evans
as Tootsie Malone
Thomas E. Jackson
as Asst. Dist. Atty. Richard Snow
Isabelle Keith
as Miss Adams
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke