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6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Havana Widows remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so Havana Widows? If you're into those fast-talking, slightly scandalous pre-Code comedies from the early 30s, you'll probably get a kick out of this. It’s a quick, breezy watch, ideal for a lazy afternoon when you want something light and a little bit naughty. Folks who need deep plots or modern sensibilities, though, might find it a bit too silly or dated. This isn’t trying to be a masterpiece, just a good time. 🌴
The whole thing kicks off with Mae (Joan Blondell) and Sally (Glenda Farrell), two pals who are just *done* with being poor. Their solution? Head to Havana and marry millionaires. Simple, right? Their boyfriends, played by Frank McHugh and Allen Jenkins, are mostly just bewildered background noise, which feels about right for their characters.
Blondell and Farrell are just **on fire** together here. Their banter zips by, fast and snappy. You believe they’ve been scheming together for ages. When Mae declares, with total conviction, “I hate poverty!”, you feel it. ✨
They cook up this plan to pretend they're wealthy widows. It’s a classic con, but the way they commit to it, even when things start to unravel, is pretty funny. Mae even manages to shed a few fake tears at the thought of her supposed deceased husband, which is a nice touch.
Once they hit Havana, the chaos really starts. There are rich marks, confused hotel staff, and a lot of running around. Guy Kibbee shows up as this super gullible millionaire, Herman Brody, and he's just perfect as the easy target. He falls for their act hard. Almost immediately.
Then there's the lawyer, played by Lyle Talbot. He's this slick dude who figures out their scam pretty quick. He doesn't expose them, though. Instead, he tries to profit from it, which is peak pre-Code morality, honestly. Everyone's a little bit crooked. 😈
One scene that stuck with me is when Mae and Sally are trying to get into this fancy hotel. They don't have enough money for a room, but they manage to talk their way into the presidential suite by pure audacity. The hotel manager's face is priceless. He's just so flustered by their sheer nerve.
The plot gets really tangled up with their old boyfriends showing up, and some forged divorce papers. It's not a complicated plot, really, but it *feels* complicated because everyone’s lying to everyone else. The pacing sometimes feels like it takes a breath when you expect another punchline, but it quickly picks up again.
Frank McHugh's character, Butch, has some moments where he's just bewildered by the whole situation. His reactions are often funnier than some of the planned jokes. He's supposed to be the rough-around-the-edges guy, but he's just constantly out of his depth.
The whole ‘widows’ thing is so flimsy, you wonder how anyone believes them. But that’s the charm, I guess. It’s all about the performance. And Blondell and Farrell give it their all. They really sell it.
There's this bit where one of them is trying to fake a fainting spell, and it just goes on a beat too long. It moves from almost convincing to outright silly, which works perfectly for the tone of the film. You almost feel the movie winking at you. 😉
Honestly, the ending wraps up everything a little too neatly. It’s a comedy, so you expect things to work out, but after all the delightful chaos, it almost feels like a sudden stop. Still, the journey there is a good time.
It’s not a movie you’ll be thinking about for weeks. But it’s a solid example of what these actresses could do with lively material. It’s a fun, little escapist trip to a Havana that probably never quite existed, full of dames who know what they want.
IMDb —
1917
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