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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Glad Rags to Riches remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a thing for black-and-white curiosities that feel like they were filmed in someone’s living room, maybe. It’s perfect for people who like to see how weirdly serious 1930s shorts could get. If you want a movie that makes sense or doesn't feel like a fever dream, steer clear.
Shirley Temple is here, doing that thing where she’s basically a miniature adult in a child’s body. It’s always a little jarring, right? She’s caught between a guy who probably smells like hay and a nightclub owner who definitely smells like expensive cigars and bad intentions.
The pacing is all over the map. One minute we’re in the sticks, the next we’re at this nightclub that looks like it was decorated by someone who just heard about jazz once. The transition between these two worlds is basically non-existent.
There’s this one scene where a waiter just stands in the background for a solid minute doing absolutely nothing. He’s just holding a tray. I kept waiting for him to drop it or say a line, but he just fades out. It’s hypnotic, really.
It feels a lot like The Big Palooka in how it treats its characters like pieces on a chessboard. Everyone is just moving toward a "happy" ending that feels completely unearned. It’s not as dark as The Mad Marriage, but it’s got that same stiff, rehearsed quality that makes your skin crawl a little.
The nightclub set is just a velvet curtain and a piano. Maybe two chairs if the budget allowed. It’s charming in a "we ran out of money in 1933" sort of way.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a historical document of how movies used to just sort of... happen? Definitely. I kept thinking about The Five Dollar Plate while watching this, mainly because both films feel like they were made in a single afternoon. 🎥
There's no real grit here. It's all just performance and dust. If you're bored on a Tuesday and want something that doesn't require a single brain cell, you could do worse. Just don't go looking for answers about the human condition. You won't find 'em here.
