Tonight's Movie: Man of the World (1931) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

MAN OF THE WORLD (1931) is a pre-Code drama starring Carole Lombard and William Powell.

It's available on Blu-ray as part of the Carole Lombard Collection I from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. I've previously reviewed the other two films in the set, FAST AND LOOSE (1930) and NO MAN OF HER OWN (1932).

One of the things which makes this set interesting is that two of the films in the set team Lombard with her future husbands. NO MAN OF HER OWN costarred Clark Gable, the man Lombard would marry seven years after the film's release. They were married from 1939 until her untimely death in January 1942.

MAN OF THE WORLD stars William Powell in the title role. He and Lombard married a few months after the film was released, divorcing two years later, in 1933. However, they remained friendly and a few years after their divorce starred in the classic screwball comedy MY MAN GODFREY (1936).

In MAN OF THE WORLD Powell plays Michael Trevor, an American expatriate living in Paris. A former newspaperman, he is now a con artist of sorts who blackmails wealthy Americans, collecting money by pledging to "help" them keep their name out of a gossip sheet -- which he also secretly publishes. He's aided in his racket by Irene Harper (Wynne Gibson), who carries a torch for him, and Fred (George Chandler), who plays a variety of roles.

Lombard plays Mary Kendall, who is visiting Paris with her uncle (Guy Kibbee) and hometown sweetheart, Frank (Lawrence Gray). They meet when Michael targets her wealthy uncle, who is grateful for his "help."

With Frank away for a few days on business, Mary and Michael spend time together and fall in love. Michael confesses his sordid lifestyle to Mary and pledges to reform. She's steadfast in her love, but is a happy ending possible?

I first saw MAN OF THE WORLD on DVD in 2008, and at that time I wasn't very impressed with it, as noted in my original review. I found it too dreary and melancholy, describing it as being for Powell and Lombard completists only.

13 years later, I was pleased to discover that I enjoyed MAN OF THE WORLD much more. When I originally saw it I don't think the film was what I was expecting, but having seen hundreds of additional films in the intervening years, this time I think I was much more "tuned in" to the pre-Code milieu. Yes, it's a melancholy tale, but I found it absorbing and quite worthwhile on this viewing.

I also delighted in things like George Chandler having a substantial role as Powell and Gibson's fellow con artist, "the best American tour guide in Paris." In a career with over 450 credits, so often Chandler has very brief parts, playing nameless reporters and the like, so it was fun to see him in this; his character adds a touch of lightheartedness to the generally serious proceedings.

MAN OF THE WORLD is still the least of the three films in the set, but I found it a much more worthwhile experience on this viewing, which proves the value of circling back to films periodically and watching them in a new context. The story is played with elegance and sensitivity, runs a well-paced 74 minutes, and has a refreshingly "un-pat" ending.

The other two films in the collection are quite enjoyable, though, as noted in the review, Lombard only plays a supporting role in FAST AND LOOSE, which is a Miriam Hopkins vehicle. NO MAN OF HER OWN is a top-drawer pre-Code romance. Together, these three films provide excellent insight into Lombard's work in the early '30s.

MAN OF THE WORLD was written by Herman J. Mankiewicz, based on his own story. It was directed by Richard Wallace and Edward Goodman, with cinematography by Victor Milner.

The Blu-ray print and sound quality are quite good for a film of this vintage. I was particularly impressed with the clarity of the soundtrack, as often early sound films have what I describe as "mushy" dialogue or too much static. This soundtrack is quite crisp and easy to understand.

A commentary track by Samm Deighan is the lone Blu-ray extra.

Coming soon: Reviews from Kino Lorber's brand-new Carole Lombard Collection II, which features HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936), both costarring Lombard with Fred MacMurray, and LOVE BEFORE BREAKFAST (1936), also starring Preston Foster.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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