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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Champagne Charlie remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you have a thing for black-and-white dramas that feel like they were made during a long, rainy Tuesday. If you enjoy movies where people stand in rooms talking about money while holding brandy glasses, you’ll dig it. If you need a plot that actually makes sense by the end, stay away.
The whole movie is framed as a big flashback, which is a classic trick to make a thin story feel like a grand tragedy. It’s about a gambler who gets strong-armed into a marriage for a dowry. You know the type—slick hair, thin mustache, probably owns a deck of marked cards. It’s all very predictable until people start dropping dead.
The murder stuff is… weird.
There’s this one scene where the dialogue just drags on forever. I swear, the characters spend more time adjusting their lapels than actually solving the crime. It feels like they were filming in a rush, just trying to get to the craft services table before the food ran out.
It’s not quite as heavy or dramatic as something like La dame aux camélias, but it’s definitely trying to act like it is. There’s a lot of posturing. Every time someone walks into a room, they do it like they’re expecting an award for just existing.
I found myself staring at the background extras more than the leads. There’s one guy in a hat who stands by a door for, I don’t know, ten minutes? He doesn't move. He doesn't blink. It’s almost hypnotic. Maybe *he* was the mastermind the whole time?
It definitely isn’t as fun as a romp like Edgar Takes the Cake, which at least knows it’s a silly short. Champagne Charlie takes itself way too seriously. It’s like it’s wearing a tuxedo that’s two sizes too small and trying to pretend it’s comfortable.
It’s not a disaster, but it’s not exactly a gem either. It’s just… there. A solid 60 minutes of people being slightly dishonest to each other in nice clothes. Sometimes that’s all you need, I guess. 🥂
Whatever. The ending happens, and you’ll probably just shrug and hit stop.
