If you like vignettes like O. Henry's Full House or the game "Six Degrees of Separation"-or if you like the connection of clues between movie stars on Hot Toasty Rag-you'll probably like Tales of Manhattan. It's the story of a tuxedo coat that gets passed down to five different owners, and each vignette shows how the coat changes the owner's situation. The biggest criticism of the film is the title. It's so obvious! It should have been called Tails of Manhattan. What were they thinking?
Anyway, the coat is first given to Charles Boyer, an actor who's having an affair with a married Rita Hayworth. His segment is interesting, but it goes on a little too long. Next up is the worst vignette, despite the very promising premise. Cesar Romero is about to marry Ginger Rogers, but when she finds an incriminating love letter in his coat pocket, he panics and begs his best man Henry Fonda to pretend that the coat and note are his. Sounds good, right? Then it goes downhill. Cesar disappears and takes the good comic timing with him. Henry and Ginger have zero chemistry together, and the dialogue is beyond stupid. Plus, her terrible wig makes her look homely.
Next up is the lovable Charles Laughton. He's a struggling musician who wears the coat when he's finally given the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. As you might expect from anything starring Charles Laughton, his segment is sad and touching. As I always do, I wanted to reach into the screen and give him a big hug.
After that, the even more lovable Edward G. Robinson is given the best vignette. Had a different actor been cast, the entire Tales of Manhattan would have infinitely less class and heart. He's going to a college reunion and wants to impress all his old friends, but in reality he's homeless and an alcoholic. He borrows the topcoat from the Salvation Army in an effort to look presentable.
Last but not least-that award goes to Ginger Rogers's wig-the story gets taken to a poor farming village. Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters find the coat, which by now has thousands of dollars in its pockets, and they take it to the town minister, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. What will happen? Well, just as I haven't told you the endings to the other four tales, I won't tell you about this one. You'll just have to watch this entertaining little classic to find out!
Anyway, the coat is first given to Charles Boyer, an actor who's having an affair with a married Rita Hayworth. His segment is interesting, but it goes on a little too long. Next up is the worst vignette, despite the very promising premise. Cesar Romero is about to marry Ginger Rogers, but when she finds an incriminating love letter in his coat pocket, he panics and begs his best man Henry Fonda to pretend that the coat and note are his. Sounds good, right? Then it goes downhill. Cesar disappears and takes the good comic timing with him. Henry and Ginger have zero chemistry together, and the dialogue is beyond stupid. Plus, her terrible wig makes her look homely.
Next up is the lovable Charles Laughton. He's a struggling musician who wears the coat when he's finally given the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. As you might expect from anything starring Charles Laughton, his segment is sad and touching. As I always do, I wanted to reach into the screen and give him a big hug.
After that, the even more lovable Edward G. Robinson is given the best vignette. Had a different actor been cast, the entire Tales of Manhattan would have infinitely less class and heart. He's going to a college reunion and wants to impress all his old friends, but in reality he's homeless and an alcoholic. He borrows the topcoat from the Salvation Army in an effort to look presentable.
Last but not least-that award goes to Ginger Rogers's wig-the story gets taken to a poor farming village. Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters find the coat, which by now has thousands of dollars in its pockets, and they take it to the town minister, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. What will happen? Well, just as I haven't told you the endings to the other four tales, I won't tell you about this one. You'll just have to watch this entertaining little classic to find out!