''The Mad Miss Manton'' is a 1938 American

screwball comedy Screwball comedy is a subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary characteristi ...

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...

directed by Leigh Jason and starring

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

as fun-loving socialite Melsa Manton and

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

as newspaper editor Peter Ames. Melsa and her debutante friends hunt for a murderer while eating bonbons, flirting with Ames, and otherwise behaving like irresponsible socialites. Ames is also after the murderer, as well as Melsa's hand in marriage. This was the first of three screen pairings for Stanwyck and Fonda, the others being '' The Lady Eve'' and '' You Belong to Me''.

Plot

At 3:00 am, Melsa Manton takes her little dogs for a walk. Near a subway construction site, she sees Ronnie Belden run out of a house and drive away. The house is for sale by Sheila Lane, the wife of George Lane, a wealthy banker. Inside, Melsa finds a diamond brooch and George's dead body. As she runs for help, her cloak falls off with the brooch inside it. When the police arrive, the body, cloak, and brooch are gone. Melsa and her friends are notorious pranksters, so Lieutenant Mike Brent, does nothing to investigate the murder. Peter Ames writes an editorial decrying Melsa's "prank", and she sues him for libel. Melsa and her friends decide they must find the murderer in order to defend their reputation. The resulting manhunt includes searches of the Lane house, Belden's apartment, Lane's business office, and all of the local beauty shops; two attempts to intimidate Melsa; two shooting attempts on her life: at a charity ball, and a trap set for the murderer using Melsa as bait. The women twice attack Ames and tie him up, although Melsa's friend Myra Frost enthusiastically flirts with him. While Mike repeatedly accuses innocent people based on incorrect theories, Melsa deduces that Ronnie removed the body and cloak from the Lane house before the police arrived. An escaping would-be killer leaves behind a piece of tar paper, which reminds Melsa of the subway construction site. Returning to the site, she finds a fast electric cart on the track. This is how Edward Norris made his way to and from the crime scene in ten minutes. Edward is captured after confessing to the murders and briefly holding Melsa and Peter hostage at gunpoint. During the film, the relationship between Melsa and Peter evolves from sharp animosity to love and engagement. He almost immediately decides that he is going to marry her and begins to woo her aggressively. After the police rescue them from Edward, Melsa and Peter plan their honeymoon.

Cast

as Melsa Manton, a wealthy socialite who has organized a pranking club with her friends *

as Peter Ames, editor of The Morning Clarion *

Sam Levene Sam Levene (born Scholem Lewin; August 28, 1905 – December 28, 1980) was a Russian Empire-born American Broadway, film, radio, and television actor and director. In a career spanning over five decades, he appeared in over 50 comedy and dr ...

as Lieutenant Mike Brent, a bumbling police detective * Frances Mercer as Helen Frayne, Melsa's sensible friend * Stanley Ridges as Edward Norris, a convicted murderer *

Whitney Bourne Whitney Bourne (May 6, 1914 – December 24, 1988) was an American stage and film actress. She was a leading lady in several B films of the 1930s, with occasional appearances in more prestigious films such as the British musical '' Head over Hee ...

as Pat James, Melsa's food-loving friend * Vicki Lester as Kit Beverly, one of Melsa's friends * Ann Evers as Lee Wilson, one of Melsa's friends * Linda Perry as Myra Frost (as Linda Terry), Melsa's flirtatious friend * Hattie McDaniel as Hilda (as Hattie McDaniels), Melsa's grumpy housekeeper * James Burke as Sullivan, Brent's assistant *

Paul Guilfoyle Paul Vincent Guilfoyle () (born April 28, 1949) is an American television and film actor. He was a regular cast member of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', on which he played Captain Jim Brass from 2000 to 2014. He retu ...

as Bat Regan, owner of a gambling house * Penny Singleton as Frances Glesk * Leona Maricle as Sheila Lane * Kay Sutton as Gloria Hmilton * Miles Mander as Mr. Thomas *

Grady Sutton Grady Harwell Sutton (April 5, 1906 – September 17, 1995) was an American film and television character actor from the 1920s to the 1970s. He appeared in more than 180 films. Early years Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sutton was raised ...

as D.A.'s Secretary *

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

as Subway Watchman * Olin Howland as Mr X *

George Chandler George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...

as Newspaper Man (uncredited) *

Byron Foulger Byron Kay Foulger (August 27, 1898 – April 4, 1970) was an American character actor who over a 50-year career performed in hundreds of stage, film, and television productions. Early years Born in Ogden, Utah, Byron was the second of four ...

as Assistant Editor (uncredited)

Reception

The film made a profit of $88,000.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mad Miss Manton, The 1938 films 1938 romantic comedy films 1930s screwball comedy films American crime comedy films American romantic comedy films American screwball comedy films American black-and-white films 1930s comedy mystery films Films scored by Roy Webb Films directed by Leigh Jason Films set in New York City RKO Pictures films American comedy mystery films 1930s crime comedy films 1930s American films