High Stakes (1931) is a boozy, stagey Pre-Code delight

You should watch this today if you have a soft spot for movies where the main character is clearly three drinks in at all times. It is for people who enjoy snappy insults and actors who lean against doorframes like they are posing for a painting. If you need big action or a plot that moves faster than a turtle, you will probably hate this.

Lowell Sherman is the star here, and he also directed it. He plays Joe, a guy who seems to find life slightly exhausting but very funny. He spends a lot of time holding a glass and looking at people like they are a math problem he already solved.

His brother Richard is the problem. Richard is one of those 'serious' men who is actually very easy to trick. He falls for a woman named Dolly, played by Mae Murray, and decides to marry her. Joe knows she is just after the money, but Richard is too blind to see it.

Mae Murray is the most interesting thing about this movie, mostly because she is so weird. She was a massive silent film star, and you can really tell. She doesn't just walk into a room; she performs an entrance. 🎭

Her facial expressions are extreme. She does this thing with her lips—the 'bee-stung' look—that makes it look like she’s constantly trying to whistle. It feels like she’s in a different movie than everyone else, something older and more dramatic like A Doll's House.

The movie is based on a play, and it never tries to hide that. Most of the action happens in one or two rooms. It feels very small, but the dialogue is sharp enough that you don't really mind the lack of scenery. It reminds me of the stiff but charming energy you find in The Abysmal Brute where the acting styles are just... clashing.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Stakes (1931) through its definitive frames.

There is this one scene where Joe is just messing with his hat while someone else talks. It goes on for a long time. It’s a tiny detail, but it makes Joe feel like a real person who is bored by the conversation he's having. I love stuff like that. 🍸

The 'Pre-Code' energy is definitely there. Joe is a bit of a mess, but he's the hero. He isn't some perfect moral compass. He’s cynical and probably needs a nap. The movie doesn't judge him for the drinking, which is a nice change of pace from later films.

Sometimes the camera stays on a character for five seconds too long after they finish speaking. It’s that early sound era awkwardness. You can almost hear the director waiting to yell 'cut' behind the scenes. It makes the movie feel human and a bit clunky in a way that I find really cozy.

Dolly’s husband—the one she’s secretly still with—is a total creep. He has this mustache that looks like it was drawn on with a Sharpie. When he and Dolly are together, the movie gets much darker for a minute. Then it goes right back to Joe being funny.

The shift in tone is a bit jarring. One second it's a light comedy about a drunk guy, and the next it's a drama about a woman being blackmailed. It’s uneven, but that’s why it works. Real life is usually pretty uneven too.

I noticed the furniture in the background is incredibly fancy but looks uncomfortable. Everything has these sharp edges and velvet patterns. It looks like a room where you aren't allowed to touch anything. 🛋️

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of High Stakes (1931) through its definitive frames.

Lowell Sherman’s voice is like velvet mixed with gravel. He has this way of saying 'My dear' that sounds both polite and like a total insult. He really carries the whole thing on his back. Without him, it would be a pretty forgettable stage play adaptation.

It’s not quite as surreal as something like The Dream Doll, but there is an artificiality to it that is charming. You know you are watching a play on a set. You know these aren't real people. But you want to hang out with Joe anyway.

The ending happens very fast. It’s like they realized they only had five minutes of film left and needed to wrap everything up. One minute there is a big problem, and the next, everyone is happy and the bad guys are gone. It’s a bit silly, but satisfying.

I think the best way to watch this is on a rainy afternoon with a snack. It’s short, it’s witty, and it doesn’t ask too much of you. It’s just a glimpse into how movies used to be when they were still figuring out how to talk. 📽️

If you like seeing a silent diva like Mae Murray struggle to fit into a sound movie, this is a goldmine. She is trying so hard. Every blink of her eyes is like a whole paragraph of dialogue. It’s exhausting to watch but you can’t look away.

Overall, it’s a solid 70 minutes of people being clever in tuxedos. Sometimes that is all you really need from a movie. It doesn't need to change your life; it just needs to be a good time. Joe would definitely agree with that, as long as he had a fresh drink in his hand.