Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-06-22 | Page 6 | 'Manhattan Melodrama' Shows Favorites in Powerful Roles

Manhattan Melodrama Shows F Favorites in it P Powerful Roles By FLICKER FAN FANIn FANIn FANIn In Manhattan Melodrama the new feature at the Capitol theater three of most popular stars are cast together for the first time The three turn in a superb performance with the result that the pictures picture's slightly fantastic plot Is 15 made real The successful debut debu I of the trio kindles the hope that they will be cast again in a vehicle which will give nyc wider range ranee to their talents Clark Gable- Gable as the debonair reckless reck reckless less gambler BlackIe Gallagher adds to his unquestioned popularity with the ladies and his talent for lovemaking ing finds an able foil in Myrna Lay Loy cast In the unusual role of Gallagher's Gallagher's Gallagher's Gal Gal- mistress s who later becomes the wife of Jim Wade the distrct district attorney at at- torney Wade is portrayed by William Powell Powell Pow Pow- ell elI whose suavity and restraint provides pro pro- provides vides a pleasing contrast to Gables Gable's impetuous character and lends credence cre- cre dence to a role which acted by a aless aless aless less able trouper might have seemed overdrawn Realism is lent the stor story by Involving involving involving ing the character in historical events along the lines Jines pioneered by Cavalcade Cavalcade Cavalcade Caval cade The story opens with a graphic of ot the General Slocum disaster on New Yorks York's East river in I 1904 Blackie and Jim are orphaned by bythe bythe bythe the steamship fire and are arc taken into the home of a family whose those only son has rias been lost in the tragedy The kindly foster father is accidentally killed by police dispersing a political riot and Blackie forms an undying hate late for cops and the law He becomes becomes be be- becomes comes a big shot gambler a power in New Yorks York's underworld Jim however is studious He rises to o the position of district attorney and soon wins fame for his relentless prosecution of gangsters gamblers and other His fanatical devotion to duty dominates dom- dom mates nates his life and after the murder of a welch weiching ng gambler he calls Blackie io to his office to warn him that their heir friendship will not count if it Blackie falls afoul of the law Blackie has killed the gambler but by a trick evades prosecution Jim meets Eleanor Myrna Loy Blackie's mistress and they fall headlong head head- long ong in love They tell Blackie and with the true gamblers gambler's philosophy he le wishes them happiness Jim and Eleanor marry and soon Jim is nominated nomi porn n ted for the governorship An as as- district attorney threatens Jim with scandal He charges that tha Jim because of his friendship for Blackie Blacke quashed the probe of ot the slaying of oC the gambler He also threatens to expose Eleanors Eleanor's pas past with Blackie Unknown to Jim Eleanor informs Blackie of the threats Blackie acts quickly The blackmailer is rubbed out Blackie is arrested and prosecuted prosecuted prosecuted prose prose- by Jim is convicted and sentenced sentenced sen sen- sen- sen to death Jim elected governor is asked to commute Blackie's sentence Torn between his sense of duty and his friendship for the condemned man Jim finally refuses Then follows a scene in the thc death house at Sing Sing and a climax as unexpected as it is powerful The success of the picture in iii a large part is due to the able direction by Colonel W. W S. S Van Dyke and a fine supporting cast which includes Leo Carillo Nat Pendleton Isabel Jewell Noel Madison and Thomas Jackson Mickey Mouses Mouse's experiences with witha a steam roller and Paramount sound news round out the bill bilI