Chinese Jinks: A total mess, but a weirdly charming one

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, that depends on how much you value your sanity. If you’re looking for a tight, well-oiled machine of a film, look elsewhere. But if you have a soft spot for movies that feel like they were held together with duct tape and sheer willpower, you might actually dig this.

It’s the kind of flick that’s best enjoyed with a drink in your hand and your brain turned off. If you’re a fan of high-stakes drama, you will absolutely hate this. Go watch The Rack instead if you want something serious.

The rhythm is... weird

There’s a moment about halfway through where Mannie Davis just stares at a door for a solid eight seconds. Nothing happens. No dramatic tension, no comedic payoff, just a guy staring at wood. It’s baffling. 🤨

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Chinese Jinks (1932) through its definitive frames.

Then the scene cuts abruptly to a chaotic chase that feels like it was filmed in a completely different zip code. It’s like the editor was falling asleep at the wheel and decided to hit 'shuffle' on the footage.

Small observations

• John Foster’s hat changes position three times in one conversation. Nobody noticed, or maybe they just didn't care.
• The background extras in the street scenes have this vacant, 'am I in the right place?' look that I couldn't stop focusing on.
• One of the interior sets looks suspiciously like it was borrowed from Crazy House.

I found myself wondering if they ran out of film and just started using whatever they had lying around. The whole thing feels like a fever dream that nobody bothered to wake up from.

Final thoughts? Maybe?

The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to explain its own plot. When it just settles into being a loose collection of gags, it works better than when it tries to be a narrative. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely not boring.

It’s flawed, messy, and totally unnecessary. I think I liked it? I'm still not sure. 🤷‍♂️