Cartouche: A messy, charming bit of history

Is this worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much you like black-and-white period pieces. If you enjoy watching someone swing from a chandelier while shouting at soldiers, you'll probably have a good time. If you prefer modern pacing where things happen every three seconds, stay away.

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a weird energy that keeps it moving. You can tell they were having fun making it, even when the dialogue feels a bit clunky.

The vibe check

The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a drafty studio. There’s a scene about halfway through—the one with the back-alley tavern—where the lighting is just too dark. You can barely tell who is fighting who.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Cartouche (1934) through its definitive frames.

It reminds me a little bit of the chaotic energy in The Christian, but with more capes.

The lead actor has this smirk that he just won't put away. It’s annoying for the first ten minutes, and then you start to think, "Okay, fine, he's the guy."

• The swords look like they’re made of painted cardboard.
• The extras in the background are definitely just standing there waiting for their lunch break.
• The music swells way too loud at the most random moments.

I caught myself looking at the background architecture instead of the main plot. It’s remarkably flat for a movie trying to be epic. There's a moment where a horse just refuses to trot in the right direction, and they kept it in the final cut. That’s the kind of movie this is.

It’s not perfect. It’s not even that smart. But sometimes you just want to see a guy in a fancy coat cause trouble for no reason. 🤺