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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Broadway Thru a Keyhole remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you have a soft spot for 1930s musicals or you’re obsessed with the way people used to talk in movies—fast, sharp, and slightly aggressive—you’ll probably have a decent time. If you need a movie that makes logical sense, or if you get annoyed by characters making terrible life choices just to keep a plot moving, you might want to skip this one. It’s a bit of a relic, honestly.
The whole thing feels like it was written on a napkin at a diner at 3:00 AM. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you can tell. It’s got that raw, frantic energy of early sound films where everyone is still trying to figure out how to stand in front of a microphone without looking like they’re waiting for a bus.
There’s this one scene in Florida that just drags. It’s meant to be romantic, I guess, but the chemistry feels like two people who just met in the lobby five minutes before the cameras started rolling. Ouch.
Also, I couldn't stop looking at the background extras in the club scenes. Half of them are just standing there, looking at their drinks, clearly wondering if they’re going to get paid on time. It’s oddly distracting, but also kind of endearing in a way.
Compared to something like The Unholy Garden, which feels a bit more locked-in, this one is all over the map. It’s messy. It’s got that pre-code grit, but it doesn't quite know what to do with it. You can almost feel the studio bosses hovering, saying, 'Make it punchier! More singing!'
It’s not going to change your life. It’s not even going to be the best thing you watch this month. But there’s a flicker of something real in there, mostly thanks to the cast just trying to survive the dialogue. It’s a weird little window into a world that doesn't exist anymore, for better or worse. 🍸
Anyway, I probably wouldn't watch it twice. But for a rainy Tuesday? Sure. Why not.
