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5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Modern Cinderella remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Is this worth watching today? Yes, but only if you have twenty minutes to kill and you don't mind movies that feel like they were filmed in a hallway. If you're looking for a big, epic story like The Actress, you're gonna be disappointed. This is for people who like old records, weird 1930s humor, and seeing actors look slightly confused about where to stand.
The whole thing starts in a costume shop. Anita's dad owns it, and the place is a mess. It looks like a thrift store exploded. Anita has to deliver this dress to a lady who is basically a professional snob. The lady hates the dress at first, which feels like a lie because the dress is actually pretty nice for 1932.
Anita ends up putting the dress on to show the lady how it looks. It's one of those movie moments where you know exactly what's going to happen. She looks great, obviously. But then we get the first weird bit. Anita just starts singing. Like, she's in a stranger's house, wearing a dress she's supposed to be selling, and she just goes for it.
I noticed the lighting in this scene is a bit... fuzzy. Not in a dreamy way, just in a 'we only had one lamp' kind of way. It makes everything feel very cozy and small. It's not like the big sets you see in Danger Lights. This is basement-budget stuff, and honestly, I kind of liked that about it.
Then we get Charlie. He’s played by Robert Light, and he’s doing that very specific '1930s movie drunk' act. You know the one. He’s stumbling, but his hair is perfect. He hears Anita singing through a door and looks like he’s just discovered fire for the first time. It's a bit much, but it made me laugh.
The party itself is where the movie gets really good if you like music. Ruth Etting (who plays Anita) was a huge star back then. When she sings, you can tell why. Her voice has this shaky, emotional quality that feels way more real than the rest of the acting. It's the kind of singing that makes you want to sit in a dark room with a glass of something strong.
There is a guy in the background of the party who looks like he’s never seen a woman before. He just stares at her while she sings. It’s unsettling. I think he was supposed to look impressed, but he just looks like he’s trying to do math in his head. Also, the way the extras move is so stiff. It’s like they were told if they bumped into the furniture, they wouldn't get paid.
The dialogue is fast. Too fast sometimes. They talk like they’re trying to finish the movie before the film runs out. If you’ve seen Panama Flo, you know that snappy 30s talk, but here it feels even more rushed. It’s like a race.
"You're the girl in the dress!" Charlie says, or something like that. It’s not Shakespeare, but it works.
I found myself wondering about the costume shop. We never go back there. Anita just becomes this party sensation and the movie basically ends. It’s very abrupt. One minute she's singing, the next the screen says THE END. I felt like I missed a page of the script, but maybe that's just how they did things back then.
It’s fine! It’s better than fine if you like Ruth Etting. Her performance is the only reason this thing exists. The rest of the cast, like Brian Donlevy, are just kind of there. Donlevy looks so young it’s actually distracting. He hasn't grown into his 'tough guy' face yet.
If you're bored and want to see what people thought was 'modern' in 1932, give it a go. It’s got a lot of heart, even if the plot is thinner than the fabric of that dress. It reminds me a bit of the random energy in Melody Makers No. 1: Sammy Fain, just people getting together to show off some songs.
Don't expect any deep meaning. There’s no social commentary or whatever. It’s just a girl, a dress, and a drunk guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that's all you need for a Tuesday night movie.
IMDb 6
1922
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