Facing the Music: A Dusty Romp with Stanley Lupino

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you probably already know if you’re the type of person who digs 1930s British musical comedies. If you’re a Stanley Lupino completist, you’re already loading the player. If you get annoyed by plots that rely entirely on 'misunderstandings' that could be solved by a single sentence, you will absolutely hate this.

The whole thing feels like a stage play that someone accidentally left the camera running on. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it’s about as deep as a teaspoon. But there’s a frantic energy to it that kept me from checking my phone for at least forty minutes.

The Heist That Wasn't

The premise is classic, if a bit bonkers. Jack decides the best way to win a girl is to fake a robbery. Who does that? Apparently, people in 1933. The moment the actual theft happens, the movie shifts gears, and suddenly we’re in this weird, low-stakes caper zone.

There’s a scene involving an opera performance that feels like it goes on for three lifetimes. I swear, the background extras in the opera house look like they’re waiting for a bus rather than watching a show. It’s hilariously stiff.

Odd Little Bits

• Stanley Lupino has this way of blinking when he's nervous that makes him look like he's trying to communicate in Morse code.
• The jewels look like they came from a local five-and-dime store, which makes the characters' desperation feel even more ridiculous.
• I spent way too much time wondering where they found the specific wallpaper in the aunt’s dressing room. It’s hideous.
• The dialogue is so fast-paced it’s like they were all afraid of running out of film.

Comparing this to something like Counsellor at Law feels almost mean, honestly. They aren't even trying to be the same beast. While that film is all about tension and tight corners, Facing the Music is just trying to make you chuckle before you fall asleep on your couch.

There’s a moment near the finale where the villains are caught in a way that is so convenient it feels like the writers just gave up and went to lunch. I didn't even mind. By that point, I just wanted to see if the jewels were actually real or just glass. (Spoiler: They look like glass.)

Is it a masterpiece? Hardly. It’s a relic, a slightly dusty one, but it’s got that specific, manic charm that only comes from movies where everyone is constantly running through doors they didn't need to open. 🏃‍♂️💨

If you're looking for something that won't make your brain hurt, you could do worse. Just don't ask me how Jack managed to pay for his tux.