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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Blind Date remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that feel like a dusty velvet couch—comfortable, slightly worn, and surprisingly sturdy—you might dig Blind Date. It’s not going to change your life or win any awards for innovation. But if you want something simple to watch on a rainy Tuesday, this fits the bill. Skip it if you need constant action or if you have zero patience for the whole "rich guy vs. poor guy" routine.
The whole premise is essentially a collision of social classes. Ann Sothern is the center of the storm, looking exhausted by the men in her life. One is dripping with money and entitlement, while the other is, well, the guy you’re supposed to root for. You know how it goes. The rich guy, Henry Kolker, plays the kind of villain who thinks he can just buy a personality. It’s pretty transparent stuff.
There is this one moment in the kitchen where the dialogue feels like it was written on the back of a napkin five minutes before shooting. It’s not bad, exactly, just… thin. Really thin. But Sothern carries it. She has that way of looking at a scene like she’s already figured out the punchline before the guy talking to her has finished his sentence.
Honestly, I spent half the movie staring at the background extras. There is a scene at a party where this one waiter seems like he is desperately trying not to laugh at whatever the main actors are saying. It’s distracting, but in a fun way. It’s the kind of human error that makes old films feel more like real people and less like polished products.
There’s a strange lack of chemistry between the leads that makes the romantic tension feel more like a negotiation at a car dealership. You can almost see them checking their watches between takes. It isn't a disaster, though. It’s just… there. 🤷♂️
It’s not as interesting as The White Moll, which had way more grit. But it’s got a certain sweetness that isn't totally manufactured. Just don’t go in expecting some deep philosophical message about love. It’s just people talking in rooms, waiting for the plot to happen to them.
The ending is exactly what you expect. No surprises. No twists. Just a resolution that wraps everything up in a neat, slightly crumpled bow. I kind of liked that, actually. In a world of over-complicated scripts, sometimes you just want a movie to end exactly when it says it will.
IMDb —
1921
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