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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Borrowed Wives remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
This one, Borrowed Wives, is a fun little watch if you're into those old, madcap comedies where everyone's running around a spooky house. If you like classic screwball stuff, maybe from the 20s or 30s, you might get a kick out of it, though it’s less sophisticated than, say, The New York Idea. Folks who need modern special effects or deep, meaningful plots will probably be pretty bored, though. It's definitely not for everyone today.
The plot involves Peter, our main guy, who's in a real pickle. He's got to get hitched before midnight. Otherwise, all his money goes to his uncle. And where does this uncle live? In a place that's supposedly "haunted." 👻
This whole setup gives you a pretty good idea of what's coming. There are misunderstandings, people hiding in closets, and plenty of fake scares. It's the kind of movie where the spooky atmosphere is mostly just for laughs.
The "haunted house" itself is a character, really. Lots of dark corners and secret passages. You see shadows moving, doors creaking open on their own. It's all very *Scooby-Doo*, if you know what I mean.
One scene, where a character is trying to sneak through a hallway, and a suit of armor keeps moving, felt a bit drawn out. Like, we get it, it's a gag. But it keeps going. Then someone else bumps into it. And another. It's a bit much.
Vera Reynolds, as the sort-of love interest, does a decent job. She's got this wide-eyed innocence that works for the era. When she's startled, it's a very big startled. You can see her eyes practically pop out.
Sam Hardy plays the uncle, and he's just delightfully grumpy. He doesn't believe in ghosts, but he's also clearly trying to spook Peter. His sneer is pretty top-notch for a villain, or at least a temporary antagonist.
The "borrowed wives" part is where things get truly tangled. Peter needs a wife, fast, so he basically grabs the nearest available woman. Of course, things aren't that simple. This leads to a lot of mistaken identities.
There's a moment when Peter introduces one woman as his wife, and then _another_ woman walks in claiming the same thing. The facial expressions of everyone in the room are just priceless. A few people just stare blankly. It's _so_ over-the-top, but that's part of the charm.
The pace feels a little uneven. Sometimes it zips along with everyone running around. Then it slows right down for some dialogue that doesn't really add much. I noticed this especially during the earlier parts, setting up the "inheritance" problem. It could have been tighter.
One odd thing I picked up on: the props department must have loved cobwebs. Every single surface in that "haunted" house has them. Like, *really* thick, draping cobwebs. Even on things that look like they'd be moved pretty often. It's a bit much, visually.
This movie is definitely a product of its time. The humor is broad, the stakes are low. It's more about the silly situations than any deep character development. You're not going to be thinking about this one for weeks after.
It's a quick, harmless watch if you're in the mood for something light and old. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece. It's just a bit of fun, like finding an old comic book from way back. You flip through it, chuckle a bit, then move on. It's got its moments.
IMDb —
1926
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