Han, hun og Hamlet: A strange, dusty trip back to 1932

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you are looking for a tight, modern comedy, keep walking. You’ll probably hate this if you get annoyed by silence or weird, dated gags. But if you have a soft spot for 1930s Danish slapstick and don't mind a movie that feels like it’s held together by duct tape, it’s a weirdly fun time. It is definitely for people who like their cinema a little bit dusty.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Han, hun og Hamlet (1932) through its definitive frames.

Fy and Bi are essentially the classic odd couple. One is tall and lanky, the other is round and grumpy, and they spend half the movie just bumping into things. It is very simple stuff. Maybe a bit too simple sometimes.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Han, hun og Hamlet (1932) through its definitive frames.

The theater scene

The whole bit where they get kicked out of the girls' residence is wild. It’s supposed to be an "illegal theater performance," but it looks more like a chaotic basement rehearsal. The way they react to getting fired is just... well, they don't really seem to care that much. They just sort of shrug and move to the next set piece.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Han, hun og Hamlet (1932) through its definitive frames.

Seasick slapstick

The schooner scenes are the highlight for me, even if the humor is older than my grandparents. Watching them try to dance on a rocking boat is predictably messy. It made me think of the visual desperation in

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Han, hun og Hamlet (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is a specific moment where Fy is trying to keep his balance that just goes on for way too long. I think the editor just forgot to yell cut. It becomes strangely hypnotic after a while.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Han, hun og Hamlet (1932) through its definitive frames.

• The garden sets look like they were painted in a single afternoon.
• I’m still not sure why they were gardening in the first place, but sure.
• The sound mixing is... well, it’s a 1932 recording. Wear headphones if you want your ears to stay happy.

It is definitely not as sharp as some of the other stuff from that era. Compared to the punchy vibe of

Eva’s dream of becoming an actress is mostly just a backdrop for the guys to mess things up. I wish we spent more time with her, honestly. She’s the only one who seems to actually be acting.