Fast and Loose (1930) is a messy, fun pre-code relic

Is it worth the watch?

If you have about an hour to kill and you like old movies that feel a bit like a filmed stage play, then yeah. It is a fun time.

If you hate static cameras and people talking really fast about nothing, you will probably want to turn it off after ten minutes.

I watched this because I saw Preston Sturges was one of the writers. You can kind of tell, even though it's really early in his career. 🍿

The whole thing is about the Lenox family. They are stinking rich and very annoyed that their children have actual personalities.

Alice, played by Miriam Hopkins, is the best part of the movie. She has this wild energy, like she’s vibrating at a different frequency than everyone else in the room.

She falls for a guy who works as a chauffeur. In 1930, this was apparently the same as falling for a space alien. 👽

Then you have the brother, Bertie. He’s into a chorus girl. His parents act like he’s joined a cult.

It’s funny because the movie doesn't really try to make the rich parents look good. They just look tired and out of touch.

Frank Morgan plays the dad. If you know him as the Wizard from The Wizard of Oz, it is weird to see him here being a grumpy socialite.

He does this huffing and puffing thing that makes me laugh every time. It’s like he’s constantly about to have a minor heart attack because his kids won't behave.

I noticed the sets look very... empty. There is a scene in a big living room and it feels like they forgot to buy furniture. 🪑

The audio is a bit hit-or-miss. Sometimes the actors are shouting and other times they whisper and the microphone barely catches it.

That is just how it was back then, I guess. It adds a bit of charm if you are in the right mood.

There is this one moment where Carole Lombard shows up. She isn't the main star yet, but she steals every scene she is in.

She plays the chorus girl, and she has this look in her eye like she knows exactly how much she can get out of this rich family.

It’s not as polished as Time to Love, but it has more bite. The dialogue feels sharper in the second half.

I really liked the scene where they are all at the dinner table. Everyone is trying to be polite but you can feel the tension under the surface.

The chauffeur character, Henry, is actually kind of boring. I don't really see what Alice sees in him, other than he’s not a snob. 🚗

He stands very straight and talks like he’s reading a grocery list. Maybe that was the point? To show he’s 'grounded'?

One thing that bothered me was the ending. It felt like they ran out of film and just decided to stop.

Everything gets wrapped up in about two minutes. It is very sudden. You’re watching them argue and then—boom—everyone is happy and the credits roll.

It reminds me of Johnny-on-the-Spot in the way it just rushes to the finish line.

Also, the son Bertie is played by Charles Starrett. He is fine, I guess. But he looks so much like every other leading man from that era that I kept forgetting which one he was.

He has that slicked-back hair and the tiny mustache that was required by law in 1930.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Not even close. It feels like a rehearsal for better movies that came later.

But seeing Miriam Hopkins and Carole Lombard together is worth the price of admission (or the time spent streaming it). They both have so much more life than the script deserves.

It’s much better than something like Forbidden which takes itself way too seriously.

I liked the way the camera lingered on Alice's face when she was thinking. It’s one of the few times the movie slows down enough to let you feel something.

The rest of the time it’s just people walking in and out of doors and making snarky comments about money.

If you want to see how comedy worked before the Hays Code ruined all the fun, give it a look. 🎞️

It's definitely better than Beyond the Rockies, mostly because the writing actually has some flavor.

Don't expect a big emotional journey. Just expect some rich people getting their feelings hurt because their kids have taste.

The lighting in the final scene is actually pretty good too. It’s the only time the movie looks expensive.

Overall, it’s a decent way to spend an afternoon if you like history and hats. Lots of great hats in this one. 🎩