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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
There’s a peculiar, almost dreamlike quality to silent cinema that allows for narrative leaps and character transformations that might feel jarring in a sound film. Archie Mayo’s A Man of Position, a delightful curio from an era brimming with innovation, perfectly encapsulates this unique charm. It’s a film that begins in utter, chaotic slapstick and gracefully pivots into a comedic exploration of social mobility and romantic pursuit, all without uttering a single spoken word. The sheer audacity of its premise—a nearsighted bookkeeper, a butterfly, an axe, and a subsequent metamorphosis into a seaside dandy—is enough to pique the interest of any cinephile, promising a journey both ludicrous and surprisingly endearing.
