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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Girls Will Be Boys remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for silent-era slapstick and don’t mind seeing people get absolutely wrecked by furniture. If you like your comedy soft, stay away. If you find the idea of someone getting crushed by a grand piano funny, you're in the right place. 🎹
The whole thing kicks off because the wife is tired of her lot in life. She thinks she can handle the husband's gig, and he thinks he can handle the house. Spoilers: neither of them can.
There is this one moment where Charlotte Greenwood tries to handle the piano moving duties and, well, let’s just say physics is not on her side. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Boys to Board, but with more mahogany and broken limbs.
The transition to the hospital feels like a total gear shift. Suddenly the movie isn't about domestic bliss anymore; it's just about who can look the most pathetic in a cast. Vernon Dent looks genuinely miserable, which is the highlight for me. Nobody does 'I've made a huge mistake' better than him.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s just a twenty-minute excuse to watch people trip over things. Sometimes that's enough, right? It feels way more honest than most modern comedies that try to make you cry by the end. Here, everyone just ends up in bandages and that’s the punchline. 🩹
The pacing is erratic, which is fine. It just keeps moving until it hits a wall—literally. It’s not trying to be The Hayseeds Come to Sydney, and thank goodness for that. It knows exactly what it is: a messy, bruising, and slightly mean-spirited little sketch.
Also, what is with the way they handle the piano? It’s like they’ve never seen a musical instrument in their lives. It's funny, but also stressful. I kept waiting for a toe to go missing.