Blame the Woman: A dusty, talky relic

Is this thing worth a watch?

Honestly? Maybe on a rainy Tuesday when you’ve run out of better options. If you love early talkies that feel like filmed stage plays, you’ll probably find something to enjoy. If you get bored by people just sitting around talking about their problems for an hour, avoid this like the plague. 📽️

It’s got that weird, stiff energy where everyone acts like they’re waiting for a cue that never comes. Adolphe Menjou is doing his best, but the script feels like it was written on a napkin during lunch.

The vibe

There’s a scene about halfway through where someone is standing by a doorway, and the way the light hits the floorboards makes the whole room look like a cardboard box. It’s oddly charming. Or maybe just cheap. I couldn't decide.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Blame the Woman (1932) through its definitive frames.

The dialogue is thick with that old-fashioned drama, the kind where characters say exactly what they’re thinking instead of just living their lives. It reminded me a bit of the stuff in Hobson's Choice, though without the same level of bite. This one just kind of drifts along.

• The lighting is surprisingly moody in the second act.
• The sound quality? Well, it’s definitely a movie from that time.
• I’m pretty sure one of the extras in the background of the party scene is just staring directly into the lens.

It’s funny how these movies handle conflict. Instead of actual tension, you get people just sighing loudly and pacing across rugs. It’s not exactly gripping, but there’s a certain, I don’t know, honesty to how clunky it is. It isn't trying to be high art, which is probably for the best.

I found myself thinking about The Perfect Thirty-Six while watching this. Maybe because both films have this weird habit of pushing characters into rooms and hoping for magic. It doesn't always work.

The ending felt like it just… stopped. No big buildup, no grand reveal. Just a closing shot and a fade to black. It felt like the film crew just got tired and went home. Honestly? I respect that. 🤷‍♂️