Adventure in Manhattan (1936)
1h 13m | PG-13
The story of an egotistical crime writer who gets involved with the case of a notorious art thief (who is believed to be dead) while at the same time romancing a lovely young actress who's in a play that also happens to be the cover for massive jewel job. Art connoisseur and criminologist George Melville is hired to track down art thieves, assisted by perky Claire Peyton and goaded by Phil Bane, the roaring newspaper editor who has employed him. The mastermind poses as a theatrical impresario and stages a war drama, replete with loud explosions, to divert attention from his band of thieves, who are cracking safes in a bank adjacent to the theater.
Director: Edward Ludwig
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Video: 720p
Cast
Jean Arthur
as Claire Peyton
Joel McCrea
as George Melville
Reginald Owen
as Blackton Gregory
Thomas Mitchell
as Phil Bane
Victor Kilian
as Mark Gibbs
John Gallaudet
as McGuire
Reviews
There's quite a bit of on-screen chemistry between Joel McCrae ("George") and Jean Arthur ("Claire") as both try to get to the bottom of a series of daring robberies. He is a criminologist who is drafted in by a newspaper, she an actress starring in play that was produced by an arch-burglar whom everyone thinks is dead. Everyone, that is, except "George". What now ensues is an amiable mystery as the pair spend as much time spatting with each other as they do trying to focus on the job in hand. It's quickly paced with a small, but competent, supporting cast including Thomas Mitchell ("Bane") and Reginald Owen ("Gregory") that deliver well for just over seventy minutes. McCrae never quite hit the big time for me, but here there is definitely something to be enjoyed as the leading characters are both fun and engaging. You won't remember it for long, but it does pass the time fine with a few twists and turns along the way.