High Hats and Low Brows: A Messy Night Out

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you're really into the kind of comedy where people fall over for no reason. If you want a deep story or something that makes sense, look elsewhere. People who love That's My Wife will probably get a kick out of this, but everyone else might just find it loud and exhausting. It’s definitely not for the high-brow crowd, despite the title.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Hats and Low Brows (1932) through its definitive frames.

The whole premise is just an excuse to watch Harry Gribbon fumble around a mansion. You’ve seen this a thousand times: the rough-around-the-edges guy tries to act polite, fails, and then punches someone. The tension between the working class and the wealthy is treated with all the depth of a wet paper towel. It’s barely there, really.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Hats and Low Brows (1932) through its definitive frames.

The Butler Did It (Or Didn't)

The best part of the movie is the butler. I don't know who played him, but the man has the patience of a saint. When Ham Hand starts throwing punches, the butler barely blinks. It’s honestly impressive.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Hats and Low Brows (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one moment where Ham Hand is trying to eat an hors d'oeuvre, and he just stares at it like it’s an alien artifact. It goes on for way too long. I was laughing, but I’m pretty sure the editor was just asleep at the wheel.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Hats and Low Brows (1932) through its definitive frames.

• The tuxedos look incredibly uncomfortable.
• The fight choreography is basically just two guys spinning in circles.
• I think I saw a guy in the background looking for the craft services table.

It’s not as sharp as A Gentleman of Leisure, but it’s got a weird energy. You can tell the actors were just having a grand old time making a mess of the set. It doesn't aim for anything profound, and that’s probably for the best. Sometimes you just want to see a guy get hit with a tray.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Hats and Low Brows (1932) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is a disaster. It hits the ground running and then trips over its own feet for twenty minutes. If you’re looking for a smooth experience, you won't find it here. Still, there’s something charming about how little the filmmakers cared about continuity. You blink and someone has moved across the room in a way that’s physically impossible. Physics don't apply at this party, I guess.

Maybe it’s just me, but the whole thing feels like a fever dream from 1929. It’s dusty, it’s frantic, and it ends just as you’re starting to get a headache. A solid 'meh' for the history books. 🥊