Child of Manhattan (1933): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1933, Child of Manhattan is a drama and liebesfilm film directed by Edward Buzzell, running about 70 minutes. “The drama of a good girl with a bad name!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Paul Vanderkill is extraordinarily wealthy because his grandfather happened to buy farmland in what was to become Midtown Manhattan. The Loveland Dance Hall is one of the tenants of the Vanderkill estates. To reassure his aunt Sophie, Vanderkill visits Loveland to determine whether it is as disreputable as Sophie suspects. There he meets a dime-a-dance girl, Madeleine MacGonagal, who charms him with her quaint proletarian accent. They begin a secret affair, which turns into a secret marriage when pregnancy ensues. When the baby fails to survive, Madeleine decides that since he had married her only for the baby's sake, she should make haste to Mexico to secure a divorce. There she meets Panama Canal Kelly, a former suitor who now owns a silver mine. Her plans for divorce and quick remarriage are complicated when Vanderkill arrives to confront her.

Who’s in it. Child of Manhattan stars Nancy Carroll as Madelaine McGonagle, John Boles as Paul Vanderkill, Buck Jones as "Panama Canal" Kelley and Jessie Ralph as Aunt Minnie, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Child of Manhattan sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Child of Manhattan page.

If you liked it. Fans of Child of Manhattan tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.