When a Man Loves

In an old French cathedral town, during the reign of Louis XV, devoted churchman John Barrymore (as Chevalier Fabien des Grieux) is studying to become a Priest. One May morning, virginal Dolores Costello (as Manon Lescaut) arrives at the musty convent, like "a flower freshly plucked from the countryside"; when Mr. Barrymore sees Ms. Costello, the seeds of romance are firmly planted. Meanwhile, Costello's scheming brother Warner Oland (as André Lescaux) decides to prostitute sister Costello. Barrymore overhears Mr. Oland's plotting, and whisks Costello off to Paris. Eventually, Costello feels the lure of jewels and pretty clothes; and, Barrymore is torn between lust and the Lord.

Sheer nonsense, but extremely well-produced - firstly, Alan Crosland's "When a Man Loves" is another great opportunity to see star lovers Barrymore and Costello (who would soon marry off-screen). Oland and the man he sells Costello to, Sam de Grasse (as Monsieur Guillot de Morfontaine), head up a delightful supporting cast. Look out for a hilariously over-painted Bertram Grassby (as Le Duc de Richelieu), Tom Santschi sneeringly captaining the convict boat, and pretty prisoner Myrna Loy. The convict ship trip ending, with its swelling Vitaphone soundtrack, and Barrymore going ballistic... all fantastic. Barrymore's performance becomes amazing. Don't desert the ship - keep watching until the exciting ending payoff.

******** When a Man Loves (2/3/27) Alan Crosland ~ John Barrymore, Dolores Costello, Warner Oland

OK, I admit it, it makes me completely glad they were all guillotined.

This transitional silent is really a visual work of art. I say transitional because it is one of Warner Brothers first Vitaphone films back when Warners was still using sound just to bring sound effects and synchronized music to silents. No talking was going on yet.

The location is 18th century France about 20 years before the French Revolution. Our protagonists are a young man of aristocratic descent who is studying for the priesthood, Chevalier Fabien des Grieux (John Barrymore) and the unfortunate Manon Lescaut (Delores Costello). She's unfortunate because she actually trusts her brother (Warner Oland) who has two alternate plans for her - either sell her to the highest bidder to help him continue his gambling habit, or dispose of her in a nunnery. Fabien overhears the brother's plotting, rescues Manon, and the two flee to Paris. Because the brother found an aristocratic buyer for his sister's companionship he won't give up so easy on retrieving his meal ticket. A week after the young lovers have arrived in Paris, he finds Manon and convinces her that it is best for Fabien if she leaves him so he can return to his studies for the priesthood and regain his father's good graces.

What follows is a remarkable adventure with Fabien first losing and then regaining his faith in Manon, him turning from the studying for the priesthood to gambling as a profession, and a turn of treachery by Manon's discarded former protector/consort that has them both destined for a life of slavery in Louisiana.

The focus and sympathy are kept on the two young lovers for several reasons. For one, the actors themselves have remarkable chemistry - they were actually married for several years - and also, they are the only two members of the cast that don't resemble grotesque gargoyles. The poor of Paris are shown as disheveled, greasy, drunken, and ready to assault any maiden that crosses their paths. The aristocracy of Paris are shown as decadent, perfumed, powdered and rouged to the point of looking like corpses, and also ready to assault any maiden that crosses their paths. Thus even in pre-revolutionary France the poor and rich seem to have at least one thing in common.

The cruel twists of fate could make long stretches of this movie a bit of a downer if it were not for the fun of watching Barrymore in his prime playing - at various times - the protector, the swashbuckler, the broken-hearted when he loses Manon, ecstatic when he gets her back. Plus Barrymore could say more with a roll of his eyes or a gesture than many actors could say with an entire soliloquy. Highly recommended.

Director Alan Crosland and star John Barrymore attempt to recapture the the success of their previous effort, THE BELOVED ROGUE, with this story of debauchery and all-conquering love in the ancien regime, from the novel MANON LESCAUT. It was a popular story, made into a couple of ballets and an opera by Puccini. But despite the sumptuous sets and stuntwork, it lacks the essential verve and generosity of Barrymore's performance in the earlier movie -- but this movie is not about him. The star of the picture is Dolores Costello, who would marry Barrymore a year later. The modern moviegoer should be able to recognize her easily enough. Their grand daughter, Drew Barrymore, has her eyes.

At first it seemed to me that Barrymore was too old for the role -- a young man studying for the priesthood in his forties? But the very real chemistry of the two stars more than makes up for that.

I must admit I've only seen one clip, of this rumored to be picturesque silent, on an old HBO documentary on the 1920s. That was in the early 1980s. This film treatment on the much filmed Manon Lescaut romance story is known to exist. It is not a lost film yet it is almost never seen even though it would presumably be owned by Turner Classics being a Warner Bros. silent. This was the film in which Ethel Barrymore upon seeing commented that her brother John Barrymore basically threw his part away in order for Dolores Costello, then Barrymore's girlfriend and soon to be wife, to standout and shine. Costello was then concurrently starring in Warner's "Old San Francisco"(1927), which had a Vitaphone pre-recorded soundtrack. WAML was John Barrymore's third and final film in a three picture deal with Warner Brothers and it followed the better know Don Juan. WAML had a Vitaphone pre-recorded soundtrack with musical score & sound effects, the same as Don Juan. Vitaphone was the pioneer system where the music, sound effects, speech etc. was recorded on an LP type of wax disc rather than the later standard of film. Byron Haskin, WAML's Cinematographer, said in an interview that this was a wonderful story to photograph and was superior to Don Juan photographically in many respects IHHO. Incidentally director Alan Crosland seemed to be involved with all things Vitaphone & Warner Brothers at this time. He was not only the director of WAML but the aforementioned Old San Francisco & Don Juan as well as the talking film breakthrough The Jazz Singer. Maybe one day Turner Classics will surprise everyone and resurrect WAML, a late silent/major studio obscurity. Perhaps some kind of restoration is in order and that includes the original pre-recorded soundtrack if it exists. I'm sure it's as gorgeous as Don Juan's soundtrack.

French nobleman Fabian des Grieux (John Barrymore) is training for the priesthood. However, he comes to the rescue of the beautiful Manon Lescaut (Dolores Costello), whose brother André (Warner Oland) is trying to sell her to Comte Guillot de Morfontaine (Sam De Grasse).

This is pretty long for a silent film at 110 minutes, but it goes by very quickly. Barrymore is excellent (if a tad melodramatic), and Dolores Costello is radiant. Warner Oland is entertaining as the slimy brother, and Sam De Grasse is good as the villain. There's a good sword fight, and the production design and costumes are fantastic. An uncredited Myrna Loy can be seen briefly towards the end.

First time viewing. 4/5