Manhattan Tower (1932) | Directed by Frank R. Strayer

Manhattan Tower is a pre-Code drama set in a grand skyscraper in New York City. The film interweaves the lives of multiple characters who work in or are connected to the tower, portraying stories of ambition, romance, financial struggle, and corruption. It provides a snapshot of urban life during the early years of the Great Depression.

Genre: Drama

Director: Frank R. Strayer

Frank R. Strayer (1891–1964) was an American director and screenwriter best known for his work during the 1920s through the 1950s. He directed a wide variety of films, including dramas, mysteries, and comedies, and became particularly recognized for his contributions to the Blondie film series in the late 1930s and 1940s. Strayer was a dependable studio director, able to work quickly on modest budgets while delivering engaging films.

Star Cast:

Nella Walker as Mary Harper

Mary Brian as Mary Harper’s secretary, also named Mary

Irene Rich as Miss Wayne

James Hall as Tom

Hale Hamilton as Victor Blake

Noel Francis as Grace

Claudia Dell as Ella

Ben Lyon as Bob

Manhattan Tower was received as a timely drama that reflected the anxieties and hopes of Americans during the Great Depression. While not a major box-office success, it resonated with audiences through its portrayal of everyday struggles in the shadow of towering urban modernity. Its ensemble structure and skyscraper setting gave it a sense of sophistication for its time.

Fun Facts:

The skyscraper in the film was inspired by the Empire State Building, which had opened only a year earlier in 1931.

As a pre-Code film, Manhattan Tower includes themes of corruption, infidelity, and social class tension that would have been softened or censored after the Hays Code was enforced in 1934.

The movie was one of several early 1930s films to use skyscrapers as a backdrop, reflecting the fascination with New York’s growing skyline.

Mary Brian, one of the stars, was often called “the sweetest girl in pictures” and had been a popular leading lady since the silent era.

Director Frank R. Strayer later became best known for lighter fare, particularly the long-running Blondie series, making this drama an interesting example of his earlier, more serious work.

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