MAN'S CASTLE
US, 1933, 75 minutes, Black and white.
Spencer Tracy, Loretta Young, Marjorie Rambeau, Glenda Farrell, Walter Connolly, Dickie Moore.
Directed by Frank Borzage.
Man's Castle is a film of the depression, highlighting New York City and the people who have to live in shanty towns, out ofwork, despairing and hungry, having to take demeaning jobs to survive. The film is also a star vehicle for Spencer Tracey at the beginning of his Hollywood career. Never a matinee idol star, he comes across strongly on screen and was soon to move to MGM and win Oscars for Captains Courageous and Boy's Town in 1937 and 1938 and be a star for the next 30 years. Loretta Young also stars at the beginning of her career, a very attractive performance. She was again to be a screen star for the next 20 years and then move to television (but making telemovies in the 80s). The strong supporting cast includes Marjory Rambeaux, Glenda Farrell as a tough, Jean Harlow-like singer and Walter Connolly as a minister. The film is directed by Frank Borzage noted for his Americana and his strong presentation of feeling and sentiment.
1. Impact of the film in the 30s, during the depression? Later decades? Relevance?
2. Black and white photography, New York settings, the city, the shanty town? Musical Score? The strong cast at the beginning of their careers?
3. the title and its irony? The American dream? The American home, family?
4. The focus on Trina, on the park bench, the clash with Bill, his seeming a toff? Her hunger, his taking her to eat? His tough and wise cracking wisdom? Her background, her feeling suicidal, her strong will to live? The lack of payment for the food and Bill's performance? Her dependence on him, going to the shanty town? The relationship with him? The devoted wife, tolerant, grateful? The meals, listening to his put downs? Frank and his unwelcome advances? Flossie and her drinking? Her desire to have the stove, walking along the streets? The gift of the stove? Bill and his wanting to be on the move? Her wanting to settle? Her pregnancy, telling Bill? His behaviour with the singer, Trina sensing this? Her allowing Bill to go? His decision to marry her, the wedding ceremony? The gift of the dress? The hold-up, her response? Bill's needing to go, Flossie helping? Their decision to go together, on the train? to what future?
5. Spencer Tracey as Bill? His seeming well off, sitting in the park, treatment of Trina, the meal? His speech in the restaurant about the poor? The irony of his suit advertising the coffee house? Living in shanty town, taking up with Trina?
Their life together? His put downs, looking at the sky? His jobs, clashes with Frank? Going to the theatre and serving the summons on the singer? Looking in her window ? on stilts? The affair? Signing the baseball as Babe Ruth for the boy? Hearing of Trina's pregnancy? The marriage? The decision to join in the robbery with Frank after despising him? His off hand manner, the shooting? The minister and his being shot, the confrontation? His being allowed to escape?
6. Flossie, her drinking, clashes with Frank? With the minister, the dandelion wine and his helping her? Friendship? The decision to help Trina, shooting Frank?
7. Frank, scrounging, attracted to Trina, his advances? clashes with Bill? The plan for the robbery? The carrying out of the robbery, his warning the police, coming to Trina? Flossie shooting him?
8. The minister, his poverty, quoting the Bible, developing the flowers? Security guard, the confrontation with Bill and letting him go?
9. The world of the depression, the rich in New York, the restaurants, the theatres? The contrast with the poor, the shanty town and surviving, the demeaning jobs? The glimpse of the boy with his wanting to get Babe Ruth's signature on the ball? evoking the atmosphere and feelings of the depression?
