Myrna Loy, who was often paired with William Powell or Clark Gable, is paired with both in "Manhattan Melodrama". Gable plays Blackie--a gangster/casino owner with a sense of honor. Powell plays Jim--a childhood friend of Blackie, who, due to shared tragedies, becomes his spiritual brother, but finds success as a D.A. and politician.
The film covers a lot of ground and the early scenes move at breakneck speed to bring the story to the adult lives of the main characters. Even then, the film feels like a condensed version of a film with more depth. Loy, as the love interest, holds her own and Powell is solid as the dutiful public servant, but Gable steals the show with his nuanced performance as anti-hero.
The coincidences in this story stack up into a nifty pile of improbabilities, but it's a simple story at heart. Two "brothers" grow up on opposite sides of the law, but they still feel devotion to each other. Really, this is a love story. The most melodramatic parts are at the end of the film, when inescapable consequences allow for demonstrations of profound love.
The film covers a lot of ground and the early scenes move at breakneck speed to bring the story to the adult lives of the main characters. Even then, the film feels like a condensed version of a film with more depth. Loy, as the love interest, holds her own and Powell is solid as the dutiful public servant, but Gable steals the show with his nuanced performance as anti-hero.
The coincidences in this story stack up into a nifty pile of improbabilities, but it's a simple story at heart. Two "brothers" grow up on opposite sides of the law, but they still feel devotion to each other. Really, this is a love story. The most melodramatic parts are at the end of the film, when inescapable consequences allow for demonstrations of profound love.