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The Mad Miss Manton

Play trailer Poster for The Mad Miss Manton 1938 1h 20m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
After the murdered body discovered by beautiful, vivacious socialite Melsa Manton disappears, police and press label her a prankster until she proves them wrong.
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The Mad Miss Manton

The Mad Miss Manton

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Critics Consensus

Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck prove a charming pair in The Mad Miss Manton, a madcap mystery that blends comedy and thrills to entertaining effect.

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Critics Reviews

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Frank S. Nugent New York Times The producers have done rather well on all counts. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review Dorothy M'Aulay Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com A mad and merry comedy. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review Philip K. Scheuer Los Angeles Times The Mad Miss Manton is a comedy belonging to that late un- lamented school of folderol which had, one supposes, already been given a decent burial. But R.-K.-O. presents it as though it were something brand new. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review Herbert Cohn Brooklyn Daily Eagle A throwback to the school of zany comedies, which had almost played itself out in the first six or seven months of the year, The Mad Miss Manton is an assemblage of madcap antics, confused mystery killings and deliciously bright, sophisticated lines. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review Jay Carmody Washington Star Director Leigh Jason has kept his farce moving at a suitable farce tempo and contrives to get the fullest value from the various episodes -- tense, funny and somewhere between -- with which the script endowed him. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review James T. Hamada The Nippu Jiji (Honolulu) It’s a mystery comedy constructed along the same line as The Thin Man and is distinguished by excellence in direction, acting, photography and dialogue. Apr 22, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jack S Stanwick and Fonda were a great team and they’re both attractive and amusing in this one. But unfortunately there’s nothing exceptional here. Although mildly enjoyable, “The Lady Eve” it’s not! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/30/24 Full Review Steve D Not really memorable but fun thanks to the cast. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/18/23 Full Review joe m Enjoyable and witty, while being also silly and vacuous, "The Mad Miss Manton" throws a NYC society dame played by Stanwyck and a newspaper editor played by Fonda together in assisting a bumbling police force in solving an upper class double murder. A lot of snappy dialogue and various hijinks with the police and Stanwyck's posse of junior league bubbleheaded friends easily gloss over the numerous plot holes in the film. Not quite of the same caliber of the better screwball comedies, yet the two leads and their costars make for an amusing film worth catching. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Witty banter, glamorous stars, and a nod toward film noir. A fun classic that doesn't disappoint. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member What a delightful murder mystery comedy, Barbara Stanwyck is amazing as always, she and Henry Fonda make a great teaming. Very entertaining, great pace and well produced. Snappy well written screenplay. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Both leads shine and develop some chemistry as this film deliberately lurches here and there to wring as much wry comedy out of the situation as it can. The police are always inept in these detective films and books, as they pretty much are today. Can you imagine living in a time without DNA analysis when the cops pinned anything they wanted on whoever they wanted just to alleviate public pressure? Here it is played for laughs. A good early detective-movie genre. The acting is superb. Again, my eyes hurt after watching so many black and white films. The colorization technology must be better than it was thirty years ago. Color would vastly improve this film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Mad Miss Manton

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Cast & Crew

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Leigh Jason

Director

Barbara Stanwyck

Melsa Manton

Henry Fonda

Peter Ames

Sam Levene

Lieutenant Brent

Frances Mercer

Helen Frayne

Stanley Ridges

Edward Norris

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The Mad Miss Manton

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Movie Info

Synopsis After the murdered body discovered by beautiful, vivacious socialite Melsa Manton disappears, police and press label her a prankster until she proves them wrong.
Director
Leigh Jason
Producer
Pandro S. Berman, P.J. Wolfson
Production Co
RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jul 21, 2009
Runtime
1h 20m
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