Yet another film recommended in the "recommended for you" section, and interest was immediately high. Being someone who likes Spencer Tracy in many things and that 'Man's Castle' was a relatively early role for him and a largely forgotten film. Was also interested in seeing a young Loretta Young in a period where her acting for most people here seemed to appeal more than her later roles.
'Man's Castle' is a very intriguing and to me pretty impressive film. Not perfect (one can see why it won't work for some) or an all-time classic and all have done better work, but it has a lot of great things and charms and deserves to be seen more. 'Man's Castle' has a theme of love amidst and against poverty, very much relevant then in 1933 and still something that can be related to today in having to overcome love in face of adversity and dire circumstances, so it was a film that wasn't hard to relate to.
It is a shame that despite lovely photography, 'Man's Castle' is visually quite primitive. With a shantytown setting that doesn't look authentic at all and instead looking studio-bound on a modest at best budget and the miniature use looks pretty phoney.
At times too, the character of Bill can be hard to take with it being overdone.
However, the two leads are wonderful, with Tracy at his aggressively passionate and Young giving one of her most charming and winsome performances. Their chemistry is unlikely at first but is suitably complex and has passion. There is fine support from Glenda Farrell, Marjorie Rambeau and Walter Connolly.
Frank Borzage, a sensitive and deserving-of-more-credit director, directs sensitively as ever, the film is scripted thoughtfully and with emotional impact and the story always engage and is both charming and moving. Sentimentality doesn't get too much generally or get too hard to stomach to me, though the ending goes a little overboard.
On the whole, very well done and well worth seeing. 8/10 Bethany Cox
'Man's Castle' is a very intriguing and to me pretty impressive film. Not perfect (one can see why it won't work for some) or an all-time classic and all have done better work, but it has a lot of great things and charms and deserves to be seen more. 'Man's Castle' has a theme of love amidst and against poverty, very much relevant then in 1933 and still something that can be related to today in having to overcome love in face of adversity and dire circumstances, so it was a film that wasn't hard to relate to.
It is a shame that despite lovely photography, 'Man's Castle' is visually quite primitive. With a shantytown setting that doesn't look authentic at all and instead looking studio-bound on a modest at best budget and the miniature use looks pretty phoney.
At times too, the character of Bill can be hard to take with it being overdone.
However, the two leads are wonderful, with Tracy at his aggressively passionate and Young giving one of her most charming and winsome performances. Their chemistry is unlikely at first but is suitably complex and has passion. There is fine support from Glenda Farrell, Marjorie Rambeau and Walter Connolly.
Frank Borzage, a sensitive and deserving-of-more-credit director, directs sensitively as ever, the film is scripted thoughtfully and with emotional impact and the story always engage and is both charming and moving. Sentimentality doesn't get too much generally or get too hard to stomach to me, though the ending goes a little overboard.
On the whole, very well done and well worth seeing. 8/10 Bethany Cox