Dumb-Bell Letters No. 18: Proof that people have always been weird

Is it worth your time?

If you like historical oddities or you’ve ever worked a retail job and wanted to scream into a pillow, watch this. It’s short, it’s snappy, and it’s basically the 1930s version of a Twitter thread about customers who can't read.

If you’re looking for a plot, or character arcs, or literally anything resembling a traditional narrative, you’re going to be bored to tears. Stay away if you need your cinema to be serious.

There is something inherently funny about the fact that these letters are real. They aren't written by a comedy writer in a room somewhere. They’re the authentic output of folks who were just, well, completely lost.

Some of the phrasing in these letters is just wild. It’s that old-timey formal writing style mashed up with absolute brain-rot logic. It’s beautiful.

The Vibe Check

The pacing is fast. It doesn't overstay its welcome, which is more than I can say for The Storm. It just hits you with one ridiculous request after another.

I found myself wondering if Juliet Jowell ever had a good night's sleep after reading hundreds of these. Some of them are just exhausting to even look at. You can practically see the poor clerk at the desk rubbing their temples.

• The sheer confidence in these letters is inspiring.
• Some people clearly didn't understand how mail worked.
• The lack of self-awareness is honestly kind of refreshing.

It’s not trying to be Magic Flute or anything high-brow. It’s just a laugh. And honestly? We need more of that.

Watching this reminded me of Mickey's Surprise, in that you’re mostly just waiting for the next silly thing to happen. It’s not profound, but it’s a weird slice of life from a long time ago. 📜

The film ends before you get tired of it. That’s the best thing a short like this can do. It just drops the mic and leaves you thinking about how weird people have been for the last century.