Mary Pickford is doing way too much in Kiki (1931)

If you have a low tolerance for high-pitched squealing and 1930s slapstick, stay far away from Kiki. Honestly, it is a weird one to sit through today.

It is definitely worth a watch if you are a movie nerd who wants to see Mary Pickford try to save her career. But if you want a relaxing evening, this might just give you a headache. 🤕

Mary Pickford was the biggest star in the world, but here she is trying to play a 'feisty' French girl. It feels like she is trying to prove she can still be young and wild, but it comes off a bit desperate.

The whole plot is basically Kiki being a total pest. She gets fired from the chorus line and then just... refuses to leave the manager alone.

Reginald Denny plays the manager, Victor. He spends most of the movie looking like a man who accidentally walked into a cage with a bobcat. 🙀

There is this one scene where Kiki gets into a fight with another woman in the office. They are pulling hair and rolling around, and the sound recording is so primitive that it just sounds like a bunch of clattering furniture.

The movie is based on a play, and you can really tell. Most of it happens in a few rooms, and people are always entering and exiting at the exact 'wrong' time for comedy's sake.

I noticed that Pickford’s eyes are always so wide. It is like she’s trying to do silent film acting, but she is also talking a mile a minute.

It’s not quite as sweet as Sweet Alyssum. It has a much sharper, almost annoying edge to it.

The Catatonic Act

The weirdest part of the movie is when Kiki pretends to fall into a trance. She just goes limp and stays that way for a long time while the men try to figure out what to do with her.

It goes on for way too long. At first, it's kind of funny seeing them carry her around like a piece of wood, but then it just gets awkward. 🪵

You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you that this is charming. In reality, if someone did this in your living room, you would probably call an ambulance or the police.

There is a bit of physical comedy involving a soda siphon that feels like it belongs in a much older movie. It reminded me of the simple gags in something like Bumps and Thumps.

I did like the sets, though. Victor’s apartment looks like a place I’d actually want to live in, even if it’s full of people yelling at each other.

The lighting in the theater scenes is actually pretty cool. You get a sense of how big those old Broadway-style productions were supposed to be.

But then Kiki starts talking again. Her 'French' accent is barely there, and then it suddenly pops up for one word before disappearing again. 🇫🇷

It is very different from the vibe in The Bride's Relations. That one feels more like a sketch, while this is trying to be a big 'star' vehicle.

One reaction shot of a maid watching Kiki eat is actually the funniest thing in the movie. She just looks so tired of everything.

I also spotted a very young Betty Grable in the chorus. She doesn't have much to do, but it’s funny to see a future superstar just hanging out in the background.

The movie gets noticeably better when Pickford stops trying to be a cartoon character. There are about five minutes where she is actually quite vulnerable, and you see the great actress she used to be.

Then she trips over a rug or breaks a vase and we are back to the screaming. It is exhausting.

It’s definitely a better produced film than All Wool, but I’m not sure it’s more likable.

The ending feels like it was written in five minutes. Everything just works out because the script says it has to, not because it makes any sense.

If you are interested in how Hollywood changed when sound came in, Kiki is a great example of the 'growing pains' phase. 🎤

Otherwise, you might just find yourself wishing Kiki would just go home and let poor Victor have a drink in peace.

• Worst moment: The fake trance scene that lasts forever.
• Best moment: The chaotic energy of the opening theater scene.
• Watch for: The incredible 1930s furniture.

Anyway, it’s a weird piece of history. Not a masterpiece, but definitely not boring. Just... loud. 📣