Review of Man's Castle (1933) by Irvin C — 25 Jul 2014

An online friend who is probably one of the biggest cinephiles I know ranked this as her #1 film of all time. I wouldn't go that far personally. But it's certainly a very good movie. This was made in 1933 during the Great Depression and a lot of mainstream Hollywood films would make movies focusing on rich people or musical fantasies or about the past.

This one actually made a film about its present and its protagonists are poor people. It's a simple story about a con man/hoodlum/two-bit hustler who meets and falls in love (though he tries to deny it) with a young lady.

Spencer Tracy and Loretta Young both give marvelous performances and the film balances the comic and tragic elements expertly. It's far from my all-time favorite but it is still a highly recommend film.