When a Man Loves

When a Man Loves
theatrical release poster
Directed byAlan Crosland
Written byBess Meredyth (adaptation)
Based onManon Lescaut
(1731 novel)
by Abbé Prévost
StarringJohn Barrymore
Dolores Costello
CinematographyByron Haskin
Edited byHarold McCord
Music byHenry Hadley
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • February 3, 1927 (1927-02-03) (NYC)
  • August 21, 1927 (1927-08-21) (US)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSound (Synchronized)
(English Intertitles)
Budget$528,000
Box office$1,037,000 (worldwide rentals)

When a Man Loves is a 1927 American synchronized sound historical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. The picture stars John Barrymore and features Dolores Costello in the frequently filmed story of Abbé Prévost's 1731 novel Manon Lescaut. The lovers suffer, but the film has an optimistic ending, as they head to America. Manon dies at the end of the novel. The UK release title was His Lady.

The film was the third feature from Warners to have a pre-recorded Vitaphone soundtrack.