For good and for ill, 'Mandalay' is a little bit uneven. While some fine editing tricks are employed to light up the screen in a couple places, transitions are decidedly curt, and inelegant. While some key performances are quite fine, there's a perfunctory ease and distinct inauthenticity to too many moments that thusly serve their narrative purpose, but fail to meaningfully convey impact or sincerity. In keeping with the common trend of pictures of the era, and most especially those with a like runtime of about 1 hour, 'Mandalay' maintains a brisk pace to cram as much narrative as possible into that length - but with the result that no story beat is realized with nearly as the weight that it deserves. And I suppose one could try to shoehorn an artistic interpretation into their viewing experience to assign meaning to the fact that protagonist Tanya has only one song to sing, but this isn't the type of film where such mindfulness belongs in the first place - and indeed, the repetition rather comes across as nothing more than heavy-handed emphasis of the character's plight.
None of this is to say that 'Mandalay' is bad. There's really quite a lot to like about it, not least of all star Kay Francis. Though constrained by the forced pace and tight construction of the film that inherently diminishes her appearance, she puts in an able display of acting characterized by strong range and poise. The broad strokes of the writing offer up suitably complex characters, a compelling story, dynamic scene writing, and vivid dialogue. And I most certainly appreciate the consideration put into costume design, hair and makeup, set design and decoration, and some fine camerawork. I'd like to say I enjoyed this more than I do.
However, those detractions I've highlighted so substantially reduce what 'Mandalay' would have been that at best the film's most redeeming qualities can only just provide balance. The utmost nonchalance that dampens the greatest possible gravity is felt most keenly with some of the most ponderous story beats in the last third of the feature, letting each mostly come and go with such passivity that it's almost hard to care at all. The stunt that concludes the climax is direly, pointedly ungenuine, and the final scene brings the movie to a close with terrible brusqueness. And just as all these regrettable faults serve to restrain the cast's performances, they are also hamstrung not least of all by character writing that fails to truly capture the imagination. Tanya could and should be a vibrant personality: commanding the room as Spot White, exhibiting reasonably righteous anger and personal strength in the last third of the film, and deep, unremitting sorrow at the turns her life has taken. We get glimmers of these aspects of her character, but they are ONLY glimmers. Supporting character Dr. Gregory Burton (Lyle Talbot) is a mess of a human, brimming with hope of redemption while possessing robust sociability and wallowing in his flaws. Yet, again - we see mere shades of what this character should be.
I'm one of the last people who would champion the concept of the remake as a virtue of the modern film industry, but I earnest feel like this is an instance where it would be of significant benefit. 'Mandalay' bears some great ideas and a fine cast, but very simply, this movie is a fraction of what it should have been. And I mean that literally and figuratively: this 1934 film clocks in at only 65 minutes, and its story beats and characters aren't given the profundity that they would communicate were they explored more fully in a feature of, say, two hours. To be honest, I readily imagine Eva Green in Kay Francis' role.
This isn't outright bad. But its shortcomings are very plain. There are worse ways to spend an hour, though it's hard not to be frustrated with recognition of what the title could have been. As it is, 'Mandalay' is unfortunately a little middling - the cast do the best they can with the material as it presents, but the value and the disadvantages all but cancel each other out. Recommendable mostly just for unfailingly enthusiastic fans of older movies.
None of this is to say that 'Mandalay' is bad. There's really quite a lot to like about it, not least of all star Kay Francis. Though constrained by the forced pace and tight construction of the film that inherently diminishes her appearance, she puts in an able display of acting characterized by strong range and poise. The broad strokes of the writing offer up suitably complex characters, a compelling story, dynamic scene writing, and vivid dialogue. And I most certainly appreciate the consideration put into costume design, hair and makeup, set design and decoration, and some fine camerawork. I'd like to say I enjoyed this more than I do.
However, those detractions I've highlighted so substantially reduce what 'Mandalay' would have been that at best the film's most redeeming qualities can only just provide balance. The utmost nonchalance that dampens the greatest possible gravity is felt most keenly with some of the most ponderous story beats in the last third of the feature, letting each mostly come and go with such passivity that it's almost hard to care at all. The stunt that concludes the climax is direly, pointedly ungenuine, and the final scene brings the movie to a close with terrible brusqueness. And just as all these regrettable faults serve to restrain the cast's performances, they are also hamstrung not least of all by character writing that fails to truly capture the imagination. Tanya could and should be a vibrant personality: commanding the room as Spot White, exhibiting reasonably righteous anger and personal strength in the last third of the film, and deep, unremitting sorrow at the turns her life has taken. We get glimmers of these aspects of her character, but they are ONLY glimmers. Supporting character Dr. Gregory Burton (Lyle Talbot) is a mess of a human, brimming with hope of redemption while possessing robust sociability and wallowing in his flaws. Yet, again - we see mere shades of what this character should be.
I'm one of the last people who would champion the concept of the remake as a virtue of the modern film industry, but I earnest feel like this is an instance where it would be of significant benefit. 'Mandalay' bears some great ideas and a fine cast, but very simply, this movie is a fraction of what it should have been. And I mean that literally and figuratively: this 1934 film clocks in at only 65 minutes, and its story beats and characters aren't given the profundity that they would communicate were they explored more fully in a feature of, say, two hours. To be honest, I readily imagine Eva Green in Kay Francis' role.
This isn't outright bad. But its shortcomings are very plain. There are worse ways to spend an hour, though it's hard not to be frustrated with recognition of what the title could have been. As it is, 'Mandalay' is unfortunately a little middling - the cast do the best they can with the material as it presents, but the value and the disadvantages all but cancel each other out. Recommendable mostly just for unfailingly enthusiastic fans of older movies.