Le roman de Manon

The story of Manon Lescaut has been retold several times since the good Abbé first wrote it. It's a tragedy with all sorts of moral overtones, what with the Chevalier besotted by his love for the gold digging Manon who nonetheless loves him back in her own way. This film version is somewhat faithful to the original albeit considerably cleaned up for us puritanical Americans. Already a shocker when it was first published in 1731 many of the sordid details, especially Manon's prostitution, was barely hinted at and the tragic ending completely left out. What's left is a period drama with considerable posturing and glaring, great costumes and great production values. The first half is rather slow and drawn out. With Manon's prostitution left out it's a little difficult to evoke the emotions needed to connect a viewer to a show. But once she's arrested and sentenced to the colonies the film takes off with a bang. From then on it's a roller-coaster ride, lots of action, pathos, drama. It never lets up. This part makes the whole thing worth seeing. One last thing: I'm a fan of Drew Barrymore and it was kind of fun to see her grandparents together on the screen. I sure hope she continues the dynasty.

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.

When a Man Loves (1927)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Silent melodrama about a man (John Barrymore) studying for the priesthood when he falls in love with a woman (Dolores Costello) whose brother (Warner Oland) has sold her for prostitution. This film is beautiful on the eye but the story is pretty lacking, which makes it rather difficult to sit through the 110-minute running time. The costume design and sets all look extremely well especially a torture dungeon used on a ship towards the end of the movie. Both Barrymore and Costello, who would be married the following year, are very good in their roles but Oland comes off rather bland. Myrna Loy has a cameo but I wasn't able to spot her. The screenplay is all over the place but as I said earlier the story never gets too thrilling or dramatic so it left me rather cold. This is another early Vitaphone film and the movie was released two weeks before The Jazz Singer. There isn't any spoken dialogue but there's several sound effects, which are pretty silly especially some of the effects used during a thunderstorm.

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

Before John Barrymore left for United Artist, he had one last movie to make to fulfill his three-picture contract with Warner Brothers. He starred along with his future wife Dolores Costello in February 1927's "When a Man Loves," a period piece based on Abbe Prevost's 1731 novel Manon Lescaut.

Warner Brothers continued with its experimentation into sound films with "When a Man Loves," the studio's third disc-on-sound Vitaphone picture. At its February 4, 1927 premier, the New York City theater audience failed to pay attention to the empty musical pit usually filled with an orchestra. So crisp was the music coming out of the house's speakers they completely forgot about the lack of musicians. Just as the film concluded, there appeared a brief 15-second clip of the Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra with its conductor on the screen. It was then the patrons realized all the music was pre-recorded and synchronized to the movie. They went nuts.