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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you have a weird itch to see how they handled 'accidental spousal homicide' in 1930s cinema, sure. This movie is for people who enjoy watching people in suits yell at each other in mahogany offices. If you need characters to act like actual humans, you’re probably going to hate it. It moves at the speed of a tax audit.
Victor Conway, played by Ricardo Cortez, is the kind of guy who probably checked his stock ticker while his wife was taking her last breath. After the whole hunting accident mess, the movie just kind of… keeps going. Nobody seems particularly broken up about the death, which is a choice, I guess.
The hunting scene is so fast it’s almost funny. One minute they’re in the woods, the next she’s gone, and Victor is back at the office like it was a minor fender bender. The police let him go because there was 'no motive,' which feels like the laziest script writing ever. It’s like the writers just wanted to get to the bank merger drama as fast as possible.
The whole thing reminds me of the pacing in The Whole Truth where the stakes feel heavy but the reaction is oddly flat. You keep waiting for someone to actually show a human emotion, but they just swap stock tips instead.
The market crash sequence feels tacked on, like they realized they needed some 'big drama' for the final act. It’s all very loud and very sudden. Then, suddenly, we are back to the ring. That ring! He sells it for $1,000, which probably bought a small island back then.
It isn't quite as charming as So's Your Old Man, which knew how to balance its humor and grit better. This one just feels like it’s grinding its gears. Maybe it’s worth watching just to see the outfits. Everyone looks like they’re perpetually dressed for a funeral, which is strangely appropriate given the first act.
Ultimately, the movie is a bit of a relic. It’s not great, it’s not terrible, it’s just… there. Like a piece of furniture you don't really like but can't be bothered to move to the basement. 🤷♂️
IMDb —
1918
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