When a Man Loves

When a Man Loves is a 1927 American silent historical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The picture stars John Barrymore and features Dolores Costello in the frequently filmed story of Abbe Prevost's 1731 novel Manon Lescaut. The lovers suffer, but the film has an optimistic ending, as they head to America. Manon dies at the end of the novel. The UK release title was His Lady.[4]

For the earlier film, see When a Man Loves (1919 film).

When a Man Loves
theatrical release poster
Directed byAlan Crosland
Written byBess Meredyth (adaptation)[1]
Based onManon Lescaut
(1731 novel)
by Abbe Prevost
StarringJohn Barrymore
Dolores Costello
CinematographyByron Haskin
Edited byHarold McCord
Music byHenry Hadley
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • February 3, 1927 (1927-02-03) (NYC)
  • August 21, 1927 (1927-08-21) (US)
  • [1] ([1])
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent film (English intertitles)
Budget$528,000[2][3]
Box office$1,037,000 (worldwide rentals)[2][3]

The film was the third feature from Warners to have a pre-recorded Vitaphone soundtrack.

Plot

Chevalier Fabien des Grieux, who has forsworn the world for the church, falls passionately in love with young Manon Lescaut when he encounters her en route to a convent with her brother André. The lustful Comte Guillot de Morfontaine offers André a tempting sum for Manon, and learning of their bargain, Fabien takes her to Paris, where they spend an idyllic week in a garret. André finds her, persuades her to leave Fabien, and tries to force her into an alliance with Morfontaine—then rescues Manon from the advances of a brutal Apache. Fabien, crushed to believe that Manon has become Morfontaine's mistress, is about to take his vows but is deterred by her love for him. King Louis sees Manon in Richelieu's drawing room and wins her. The rejected Morfontaine orders her arrest and deportation, but he is killed by Fabien, who joins Manon on a convict ship bound for America. After inciting the convicts to mutiny, he escapes with her in a small boat. He points to the horizon and declares “Yonder—America! For us freedom—And everlasting love!”

Cast

Production

When a Man Loves re-teamed Barrymore and Costello after 1925's The Sea Beast. The film is the third and last film in Barrymore's first Warners contract, having been preceded by The Sea Beast and Don Juan. He and director Alan Crosland re-teamed at United Artists to make The Beloved Rogue, another French costume story that was selected because of the popularity of When a Man Loves. This film version of When a Man Loves repeats the ending of The Sea Beast, providing a happy ending rather than the tragic ending of the source material.[5]

Many of the people who worked on the previous year's Don Juan worked on When a Man Loves, such as director Crosland, writer Bess Meredyth, editor Harold McCord, and director of photography Byron Haskin.[6]

Response

When the film played in the theater, the audience was amazed that the sound was coming from the speakers, not from an actual live orchestra. A New York Times reviewer wrote that he, and probably the rest of the audience, forgot the fact that there was actually no orchestra in the theater. At the end of the film, The Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra was shown to the audience for about 15 seconds.

Box office

According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $732,000 in the U.S. and $305,000 in other markets.[2][3]

Premiere Vitaphone short subjects

When a Man Loves premiered at the Selwyn Theatre in New York City on February 3, 1927.

Title Year
Quartette from "Rigoletto" 1927
Van and Schenck "The Pennant Winning Battery of Songland" 1927
Charles Hackett of the Chicago Opera Company Sings "Questa o quella" and "La donna è mobile" from "Rigoletto" 1927

Home media

On June 16, 2009, When a Man Loves was released on DVD from Warner's Archive Collection. This was the film's first home video appearance.[7]

Other film versions

See also

References
  1. When a Man Loves at the American Film Institute Catalog
  2. Glancy, H. Mark (1995). "Warner Bros Film Grosses, 1921-51: the William Schaefer ledger". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 15 (1): 55–73. doi:10.1080/01439689500260031.
  3. Glancy, H. Mark (1995). "Appendix 1". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 15 (S1): 1–31. doi:10.1080/01439689508604551.
  4. "British titled novelization of the film".
  5. Norden, Martin (1995) John Barrymore, A Bio-bibliography Greenwood. ISBN 031329268X
  6. American Film Institute (1971) The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30
  7. "Silent Era : Progressive Silent Film List". www.silentera.com.
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