Big Cheese is a total mess and I kind of liked it

Is it worth your time?

If you have a Sunday afternoon with absolutely nothing to do and you want to see a movie that feels like a fever dream, then yeah, put it on. People who hate loud, unorganized slapstick should probably run the other way though.

It is definitely not for everyone. If you're looking for something serious like Stella Dallas, you are going to be very disappointed.

So the movie starts in this "tough" city that is supposed to be dangerous. But it just looks like a bunch of guys in oversized coats leaning against very clean brick walls.

Harry Bailey shows up pretty early and he’s wearing this hat that is way too small for his head. I spent the first ten minutes just wondering if it was going to fall off. 🧢

He starts singing almost immediately. The music isn't exactly catchy, it's just sort of... there.

It’s loud and everyone in the background starts dancing in a way that feels like they only practiced for five minutes. I noticed one guy in the back who keeps looking at the floor to see where his feet are supposed to go.

John Foster plays the tough guy, and he has this one expression he uses for the whole movie. He just squints his eyes and tilts his head. It’s supposed to be intimidating but it looks like he’s trying to read a sign that's too far away.

There is a scene in a kitchen that goes on for way too long. They are throwing flour and dough at each other, and it stops being funny after the third time someone slips.

I actually checked my watch during that part. It felt like ten minutes but it was probably only three.

The movie gets way more interesting once they stop trying to be funny and just lean into the weirdness of the plot. There's this subplot about a missing dog that just disappears and is never mentioned again. 🐕

I love when movies just forget things like that. It makes it feel more like a real person told the story and got distracted.

The Boxing Climax

Everything leads up to this big boxing match. The ring is tiny. I mean, it’s really small, like they couldn't afford a full-sized one.

• The punches have these sound effects that sound like someone hitting a wet pillow.
• The crowd is about twelve people who are clearly yelling at nothing.
• Harry Bailey does this spin move that makes no sense in a fight.

It’s totally ridiculous. But it has more heart than some of those polished big-budget films like Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler which is great but sometimes you just want to see a guy get hit with a glove and fall down in slow motion.

There’s a moment where a woman in the front row drops her purse and actually reaches into the shot to grab it. They didn't even edit it out! 👜

I pointed at the screen and laughed. That’s the kind of small detail that makes these old movies so much fun to watch carefully.

The music during the fight is this fast piano that sounds like it’s being played by someone who had way too much coffee. It doesn't match the speed of the fighting at all. It makes the whole thing feel like a cartoon.

I think John Foster was actually trying to act, which makes it even funnier. He’s taking it so seriously while Harry Bailey is basically doing a dance routine in the ring.

It reminds me a bit of the energy in Flying Hoofs, just without the horses. Just a lot of uncontrolled movement and people shouting for no reason.

The ending is so abrupt. One guy wins, there’s a quick song, and then the screen just says "The End."

I sat there for a second wondering if I missed something. I didn't. That’s just how it ends.

Random things I noticed:

The "tough" city has a sign that is spelled wrong in the background. It says "Bakery" with two 'y's. Bakeryy. Why?

One of the dancers is wearing modern sneakers. They really didn't care about the details, did they? It’s kind of charming in a way.

The movie is called Big Cheese but nobody ever eats cheese. I think it’s a slang term, but they never explain it. Anyway.

If you like movies that feel like a messy garage sale, you’ll probably have a good time. It’s short, it’s loud, and it’s completely forgettable in the best way possible.

I might watch it again just to see that guy trip in the background of the opening scene. He really goes down hard. 😂

It’s better than The Cow's Kimono, at least. That one was just weird for the sake of being weird.

This one is just... Big Cheese. It knows what it is.