Trivia and Quotes
Trivia
 The Fox Movie Channel runs the film in its entirety, with all six stories intact and in their intended sequence. Some reviewers and black entertainers including Clarence Muse, noted that the film exposed Blacks’ living conditions under the sharecropping system, but Robeson was so dissatisfied that he attempted to buy up all the prints and take the film out of distribution. Following its release, he held a press conference, announcing that he would no longer act in Hollywood films because of the demeaning roles available to Black actors. Robeson also said he`d gladly picket the film along with others who had found the film offensive.
(wikipedia.com)
Tales of Manhattan was Paul Robeson’s final attempt to work within Hollywood after refusing lucrative film offers for over three years and Robeson was deeply disappointed with the film. He initially thought the depiction of the plight of the rural black poor, shown in the film as investing the bulk of their windfall in communal land and tools would demonstrate a share-and-share-alike way of life. Although he attempted to change some of the film’s content during production, in the end he found it "very offensive to my people. It makes the Negro childlike and innocent and is in the old plantation hallelujah shouter tradition... the same old story, the negro singing his way to glory"
(wikipedia.com)
The fifth section of the film, which featured what were considered crude black stereotypes even in 1942, came under severe criticism from both Edward G. Robinson, and especially, Paul Robeson, a champion of good film roles for blacks. The sequence was, in the past, sometimes cut from television showings, giving the film a very abrupt ending.
(wikipedia.com)
Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart worked on the six stories in this film, three of which were released.
(imdb.com)
W.C. Fields appeared in a section of the film that was cut from film that was cut from the final version. It has been restored to the video version. Also in the segment are Margaret Dumont and Phil Silvers.
(imdb.com)
Amused by Charles Boyer`s thick French accent, Rita Hayworth giggled her way through the filming of their love scenes together.
(imdb.com)
Paul Robeson`s final film.
(imdb.com)
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Rita Hayworth
(as Ethel Halloway)
with Charles Boyer
(as Paul Orman)
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