Romance in Manhattan

I love this little movie. Ginger Rogers is at her best here -- sweet, engaging, human -- and Francis Lederer is perfect as the illegal alien with a huge heart. As a Ginger Rogers film, this ranks right up there with Primrose Path and Roberta in my Hall of Favorites. Romance in Manhattan creates a mythopoeic USA that triumphs over Depression era America through a large dose of Hope. Folks in 1935 probably needed a film like this, but I think it works well to mute the horrors of 2020 also. See it.

This delightful work details the struggle of a Czech illegal immigrant, Karel Novak (Francis Lederer), to remain in the United States during the Depression, with a sparkling script limning the cultural impact of New York City upon the newcomer. Stephen Roberts directs with his customary skill in one of his final films (he died shortly after at the age of 40) and avoids both the hyperbolic and hypocritical, particularly significant when we are given the insincerity which marks the current immigration debate with its rough moral equivalence. The Bohemian-born Lederer's strong performance is quite probably his best, with an excellent and witty scenario providing the cast, which includes many of RKO's many contract players, an opportunity to create characterizations that are well-defined. Ginger Rogers nicely portrays Lederer's love interest and there is excellent acting from Sidney Toler and J. Farrell MacDonald as two of a contingent of New York's Finest (all Irish, of course) whose assistance is crucial to the process of bringing the complicated events to a suitable climax. Superlative editing by Jack Hively must be recognized as must the top-flight camera-work of Nick Musuraca, each contributing mightily to a film which should be better known.

Wonderful heartfelt and humane, this superb RKO programmer from 1935 shows just how far America and its political friends have strayed from what it fair and decent. Probably a B+ feature in its day (I personally hope it was more) ROMANCE IN MANHATTAN as made by what possibly was craftsman Euro escapees keen to work in the US film industry, clearly shows that with a reasonable RKO budget, anyone deserves a break and a true chance at love in a new country. A lovely mature film with great ideals and kindness with excellent production values and genuine affection for one man's plight, this truly great (small) film has its heart exactly right and is a mini major on the RKO schedule that might have affected the senses of millions in its day. A depression romance with a good mind to show the masses what is genuinely 'right' ROMANCE IN MANHATTAN shows what good manners and commonsense can prove, simply. The RKO cinema chain of its day with 3000 seat movie palaces across the USA and elsewhere would have allowed this simple but effective genuine film to reach it's intended good mannered suburban and country audiences, thus genuinely allowing the very Man this film is about to be a contributing cog in the great wheel of American capitalism and success so fouled today. In Australia where I live, we now have a nationwide TV channel that shows these RKO films in pristine DVD clarity...in every meaning of that statement. This is a good film: in every imaginable way. This film is actually about how real people feel. A real find and unjustly neglected...except in Australia!

ROMANCE IN MANHATTAN (1935) is an immigrant story. Karel Novak (Francis Lederer) comes to America -- "The Land of Opportunity" -- with dreams of becoming a millionaire. He intends to work hard and has already learned to speak English. Right off the boat, he seems an ideal candidate for entry into the country. But the money he's saved is no longer enough to satisfy the immigration fee, which has risen from fifty to two hundred dollars. And so Karel must be sent back to Czechoslovakia, where he may never save enough money for a return trip to the States. Desperate, Karel escapes his deportation and tries to live the American Dream as an illegal alien in New York City.

Francis Lederer is supremely likable as Karel Novak, charming and optimistic, though naïve. Karel sees America as the land of his dreams, a place that could well be Heaven. He gets giddy with excitement just seeing the Manhattan skyline lit up at night. Unfortunately Karel enters an America that is mired in a Depression, and millionaires -- and jobs, for that matter -- are hard to come by.

Ginger Rogers plays Sylvia, a chorus girl who lives with her little brother, a paper boy when he's not in school (or vice versa). The two earn what they can and take care of each other in these tough times. Sylvia comes to Karel's aid when he's penniless and homeless and soon he's like a member of the family. Sylvia's brother gets Karel a job selling newspapers and Sylvia lets him sleep on the roof of their apartment building. After a while Karel gets a job driving a taxi and starts saving up money to square things with the immigration office. But when Sylvia loses her job, Karel dips into his savings to help out and soon he's back where he started.

In the meantime Karel and Sylvia fall in love. And really who can blame them? But Karel's status as an illegal immigrant is going to come back to haunt him and he knows it. And while Karel's struggling with that, Sylvia's trying to keep her brother from being taken away from her and placed in an orphan asylum.

ROMANCE IN MANHATTAN is a winner and I don't know how it's slipped under the radar. Francis Lederer and Ginger Rogers are a lovable pair and the film's got Depression-era drama around every corner. Our poor heroes are handed tough break after tough break, just trying to make a go of the "American Dream", but they take each blow on the chin, determined to get by somehow. Karel, the eternal optimist, faces adversity with a smile. It's a cute love story wrapped inside a social drama, and a pleasant watch the whole way through.

The question posed at the climax of the film is whether Karel Novak, being a hard-working and respectable young man, deserves any breaks from the immigration office. Sure, he's in the country illegally, but can something be worked out for the poor guy? It's an ethical problem that can be seen as black and white or as shades of gray. The film makes its decision on the matter and I won't spoil it.

A couple of funny comments and one humorous scene at the end do not a comedy make. Especially when it has so many elements of drama - an illegal immigrant escaping, jobless and hungry people, a city strike and some violence, a villainous lawyer, school truancy, and placement in an orphanage. No, "Romance in Manhattan" is not a comedy romance, but a drama with romance. And not so much romance, as respectful love. The sacrificial kind, as well.

Francis Lederer stars as Karel Novak, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia who must be returned to Europe because he didn't have the increased amount of money for immigration. It had jumped from $50 to $200. Distraught and knowing the hardship and time it would take to raise the money working in Europe, he jumps ship as it's leaving New York.

The rest of this film is the story of an immigrant trying to make it in the U.S. And, perhaps typical of European immigrants who had such positive outlooks and attitudes when coming to America. Only those who had endured the struggles most of them had in their home lands could comprehend their joy and happiness even with hardships in America.

Novak meets Sylvia Dennis (played by Ginger Rogers), who is herself struggling and trying to make it as an actress. She is just 19 and has been taking care of a younger brother, Frank, who is around 12. This is a good story about decency among people, hard work, sacrifice and friendship. It also shows some hard sides of humanity - a glimpse of violence from a labor strike, and a shyster lawyer. The New York City police are seen in a good light as compassionate as well as sticking to duty. J. Farrell MacDonald, as Officer Murphy, befriends Karel, Sylvia and Frank. Perhaps the experience of many Irish facing antagonism when immigrating to the U.S. tempered Murphy and some others.

Anyway goodness and kindness win out in the end. This is a good film that portrays an aspect of American life that was common for many people in the early decades of the 20th century. Younger audiences well into the 21st century who aren't inclined toward history will likely be bored.

Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film.

Karel Novak, "This house is so elegant. You have carpet, really." Sylvia Dennis, "Yes, and cockroaches too." Novak, "Cockroaches! Isn't it wonderful."

Sylvia Dennis, "Frank, did you ever stop to think what a wonderful place New York is?" Frank Dennis, "Sure - ain't we got the Giants and the Yanks?"