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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Cheaters remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where everyone is constantly trying to scam everyone else, Cheaters is a decent way to kill an afternoon. It isn't exactly high art, and it feels like it was put together on a shoestring budget, but there is a certain charm to the way these characters lie to each other’s faces.
People who hate black-and-white films or slow-burn setups will probably turn this off after ten minutes. It’s got that specific 1930s snappy dialogue that feels a bit forced, but it hits the spot if you're in the mood for some vintage melodrama.
The whole plot hinges on Dorothy Mackaill trying to marry her way into a fortune. It’s a classic setup that reminds me a little of the vibe in The Tenderfoot, though way less focused on comedy.
Watching the gang plan their little scheme feels a bit like watching a house of cards get built during a windstorm. You just know it’s going to collapse. Sometimes the pacing is so frantic it feels like the director was trying to outrun the film reel itself.
There’s this one scene where they are sitting in a room that looks like it hasn't been dusted since the silent era. The shadows are all wrong. It feels like they were filming in a basement.
Also, the main mark is so incredibly oblivious that it borders on being painful to watch. You want to reach through the screen and shake him. But hey, I guess that’s the point.
The ending felt a bit abrupt to me. Like they ran out of film and just decided to wrap it up with a bow, no matter how messy the knot was. Oh well. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got enough grit to keep you watching until the credits roll. 🍿