But the Flesh Is Weak: A weirdly charming tale of deadbeats

Is this worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much you like watching charming jerks try to balance their bank accounts with their love lives. If you have a soft spot for pre-code era shenanigans and men in suits who spend way too much time thinking about their next meal ticket, you'll dig this. If you need explosions or high-stakes action, stay far away.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of -But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) through its definitive frames.

There’s something weirdly honest about But the Flesh Is Weak. It isn't trying to teach you a moral lesson about being a good person. It’s just about these guys, Max and his dad, who have turned 'being kept' into a full-time career.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of -But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) through its definitive frames.

Robert Montgomery plays Max with that specific kind of smarmy ease that you don't really see anymore. He’s the guy at the party who is definitely flirting with your date, but you can’t help but want to hear his next joke anyway.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of -But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) through its definitive frames.

The whole thing starts to get messy when he hits up Lady Joan’s house. He's there for the money, obviously, but then he meets Rosine Brown. It’s that classic movie setup where the guy who thinks he’s playing the game finally realizes he’s the one being played by his own heart. Classic, right?

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of -But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) through its definitive frames.

I found myself zoning out during some of the stiff drawing-room talk, but then Edward Everett Horton pops up and everything gets a little funnier. He has this way of looking confused that makes the whole scene feel less like a stuffy play and more like a real mess.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of -But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one moment where Max is stuck deciding between his crush and his dad's massive pile of IOUs. It’s not exactly Shakespeare, but you can feel the sweat on his brow. The movie doesn't lean into the tragedy of it all, which is actually a relief. It just keeps moving.

It reminded me a bit of the social maneuvering you see in The Woman of Lies, though this one feels a lot lighter on its feet. It’s got that snappy, rhythmic quality that makes you forget how dated the whole setup is.

Is it perfect? No way. The pacing hits a wall about halfway through, and I’m pretty sure some of the background extras were just standing there waiting for their bus. But there’s a genuine vibe to it that I kinda liked.

• That one scene with the gambling debt feels way more desperate than it needs to be.
• Max’s dad is honestly the worst influence, but he’s hilarious about it.
• The lighting in the ballroom is super moody, almost like they forgot to turn on half the lamps.
• It's short, which is always a bonus when you're watching a movie about people who talk this much.

Anyway, if you're into old movies that aren't trying to be 'great art' but just want to keep you entertained for an hour or so, you could do a lot worse. It’s a bit of a relic, but a mostly fun one. 🥂