The Museum of Modern Art presents Frank Borzage and Man’s Castle at the Museum of Modern Art from April 18th through April 24th.

Frank Borzage’s 1933 Man’s Castle has long been considered one of the most profound and transporting of Borzage’s spiritual love stories—a cohort that includes 7th Heaven (1927), Street Angel (1928), History Is Made at Might (1935) and The Mortal Storm (1940). But for decades Man’s Castle has been available only in a heavily censored cut created in 1938, when this extremely pre-Code film was reissued to cash in on the back-to-back Oscar wins of its star, Spencer Tracy. A major subplot was dropped, weakening the film’s central conflict between the easygoing eroticism represented by showgirl Glenda Farrell and the more difficult and soulful connection proposed by Loretta Young, here astonishingly beautiful as an innocent young woman cast adrift in the Great Depression.

Now, thanks to Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Rita Belda, Man’s Castle has been restored to a state quite close to its premiere version, and one can only say that a great film has emerged as something even greater, richer in its emotions and more profound in its philosophy. (Belda will be present on April 20 to conduct a workshop on the restoration.)

Man’s Castle will be accompanied by a selection of other recent Borzage restorations, including Bad Girl, History Is Made at Might, Moonrise, and No Greater Glory.

More information on the exhibition visit moma.org.

WHAT: Frank Borzage and Man’s Castle

WHEN: April 18 – April 24 WHERE: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues New York, NY 10019

TICKETS: Film program tickets are included with Museum admission but require advance reservation. Tickets to just the screening start at $10.

11 West 53rd Street Map
212-708-9400