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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Manhattan Moon remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're a fan of those breezy, low-stakes 1930s comedies where people talk really fast and everyone is constantly confused, you might get a kick out of Manhattan Moon. If you need a plot that actually makes sense or characters that behave like human beings, stay far away.
It's essentially a vehicle for a bunch of standard screwball tropes. You have your debt-ridden playboy, your tough-but-clueless nightclub owner, and a case of mistaken identity that lasts about three times longer than it should.
There is this moment at the opera where everything is supposed to be dramatic, but the acting feels so stiff it’s almost funny. It’s like the actors were told to act 'fancy' but nobody told them what that actually looked like.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a bit of a rush. There are scenes where the lighting shifts so drastically between cuts it feels like the sun is having a mood swing. It reminded me a little of the haphazard pacing in McFadden's Flats, though maybe with a bit less charm.
It’s not a film that demands your full attention, which is probably a good thing. You can check your phone for ten minutes and come back without missing a single beat of the 'intricate' plot.
Maybe it’s not as chaotic as The Wrong Door, but it shares that same frantic energy. It’s a movie that just wants to get to the next punchline, even if the punchline is just someone bumping into a door or getting their wires crossed again.
Don't look for depth here. You won't find it. Just enjoy the ride if you're in the mood for something light, forgettable, and very, very 1935. 🎭