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3.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 3.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Kanske en gentleman remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for something light and aren't afraid of a bit of black-and-white dust, Kanske en gentleman is a decent way to kill an hour. It’s for the folks who like those old theater-kid stories where people bet money on changing someone's entire personality. If you prefer your pacing fast or your social commentary subtle, you should probably skip this one entirely. It feels like a stage play that someone decided to film just because they had the lights set up already. 🎭
The whole premise is ripped straight from the George Bernard Shaw playbook. You know the drill—some guys leave the theater, feel high on their own importance, and decide to play god with a harbor worker. It reminded me a little of the spirit in
There’s a moment early on where the two leads are standing outside the theater, and the way they talk about this 'experiment' is just so blatantly arrogant. You can tell they don't see the guy they're about to 'fix' as a human being at all. It’s weirdly uncomfortable to watch, even if the movie tries to play it off as charming banter. The transition from harbor grit to high-society polish is handled with all the grace of a sledgehammer. One minute the guy is rough, and the next he’s holding a teacup like he was born in a palace. I kept waiting for someone to point out how ridiculous it was, but the movie just leans into it. Also, the sets look like they were held together by tape and optimism. There’s this one hallway scene that goes on for way too long, where the extras just walk back and forth in the background like they're lost. It’s charming in a 'we’re doing our best' sort of way, I guess? 🤷♂️ I found myself zoning out during the dialogue-heavy scenes near the middle. They talk so much about 'gentlemanly behavior' that the words lose all meaning after ten minutes. It’s a lot of posturing. Honestly, the best parts are when nobody is talking and you can just look at the background details of the period clothing. Is it a masterpiece? Hardly. But it’s got that specific, slightly sleepy energy you only find in movies from this era. If you’re a fan of Pygmalion, you might get a kick out of seeing how they handled it here. If not, it’s mostly just people in suits talking in rooms. It didn't quite hit the same notes for me as something like The Little Minister, which felt a bit more grounded in real human warmth. Here, everyone feels like they're reading off a prompt card. Still, not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon if you have a soft spot for old stories about class and vanity.
IMDb 6.6
1924
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