Ladies Love Brutes (1930) is loud, awkward, and surprisingly fun

Is it worth your time?

If you like watching a big, burly man try to act like he knows which fork to use while failing miserably, then yes. It is worth a watch today just to see George Bancroft’s face when he’s trying to be polite. 🤨

People who love early talkies with that specific 'recorded in a tin can' sound will have a blast. If you hate slow scenes where people just stand around and talk about social status, you're gonna hate this one.

Joe Forziati is a guy who built half of New York with his bare hands, or at least that’s how he acts. He’s rich now, but he’s still just a 'brute' to the people he wants to impress. 🏗️

George Bancroft is basically a human bulldozer. He doesn't just enter a room; he sort of invades it.

I noticed early on that he wears his hats at this very specific, aggressive angle. It’s like the hat is trying to start a fight with his forehead.

He wants to be 'social.' This is the funniest part of the movie because he has no idea what that means.

He thinks social career means buying expensive things and hanging out with people who clearly don't want him there. It’s a bit like watching a bear try to join a ballet troupe. 🩰

Then there’s Mary Astor. She plays Mimi Vornay, and she is just so... elegant.

The contrast between her and Joe is the whole point, I guess. She looks like she’s made of porcelain, and he looks like he’s made of bricks and old pasta.

The scene where they first really talk is great because you can see her trying to be nice while also looking for the nearest exit. I felt that.

Fredric March is in this too, playing the husband, Dwight Howell. He’s okay, but he feels a bit like a wet blanket compared to Joe’s loud energy.

March always has this look on his face like he’s just smelled something slightly off. Maybe it was Joe's cigars. 💨

There is a kid in this movie, played by David Durand. Usually, kids in 1930s movies make me want to turn the sound off, but he’s actually not too bad.

He and Bancroft have a few moments that felt actually real. Not like 'movie real,' but like a real dad trying to talk to a kid he doesn't quite understand.

The writing has some bite to it, probably because Herman J. Mankiewicz worked on it. You can hear it in the way the characters insult each other.

It’s not quite The Show, which had a different kind of weirdness, but it’s got that same early sound-era clunkiness that I find charming.

One thing that bugged me was the lighting in the office scenes. It’s so dark in the corners.

Like, did they run out of bulbs that day? It makes everyone look a bit like they are plotting a murder even when they are just talking about contracts.

The movie gets way better once Joe realizes that being a 'gentleman' is a lot of work. He starts to get frustrated, and Bancroft is best when he’s frustrated.

There’s this one shot where he’s looking at a piece of art and you can tell he wants to just throw it out the window. 🖼️

It reminded me of the grit you see in Germania, though obviously the setting is totally different.

The pacing is a bit of a mess, though. Some scenes go on for about three minutes too long.

You’ll see two people talking, and then the camera just stays on them for a few extra beats of silence. It makes it feel like the actors forgot their next move.

I wonder if they were just waiting for the director to yell cut and he fell asleep. 😴

It’s definitely not as depressing as The Isle of the Dead, thank goodness. It stays pretty light even when things get dramatic near the end.

The whole 'Italian immigrant' thing is handled... well, it's 1930. Let’s just say it’s very 'of its time.'

He says things that are meant to sound uneducated, but Bancroft’s voice is so deep and commanding that he still sounds like the boss.

There is a weird bit with a kidnapping subplot that feels like it belongs in a different movie. It just sort of shows up out of nowhere.

It felt like the writers realized the 'social climbing' stuff wasn't enough, so they added some danger. It’s a bit jarring.

I actually liked the construction site scenes the most. You get a sense of the scale of the city.

Seeing those old cranes and the way the men worked back then is more interesting than the fancy dinner parties. 🏗️

The sound of the rivets being hammered in is so loud it actually made my dog bark. The sound mixing was not a priority in 1930, clearly.

If you've seen A Christmas Carol, you know how these old movies love their moral lessons. This one has one too, about being yourself.

It’s not subtle. Joe basically learns that he’s a brute and that’s okay because 'ladies love brutes.'

I mean, the title kind of gives away the ending, doesn't it? It's not exactly a mystery.

There is a scene where Joe tries to drink tea and his pinky finger just won't stay down. It’s a small detail but it made me laugh.

It’s those little physical bits that make Bancroft fun to watch. He’s very aware of his own size.

Sometimes the movie feels a bit empty, like they didn't have enough extras to fill the background. New York looks surprisingly quiet in some shots.

But then Joe starts yelling and you forget about the empty background. He fills up all the space.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it better than most of the stuff from that year? Probably.

It’s got a weird heart to it. Joe is a jerk, but he’s a jerk you kind of want to see win.

I wouldn't go out of my way to find a high-def version of this, but if it’s on, don't change the channel.

Just be prepared for a lot of shouting and some very stiff collars. 🥂

It’s weirdly similar to Chûshingura only in the sense that it’s about a guy obsessed with his own version of honor.

Wait, no, that’s a bad comparison. It’s actually more like a loud version of a soap opera with more hammers.

I’m still thinking about that hat angle. Seriously, how did it stay on his head? 🎩

Anyway, it’s a decent way to spend an hour and a bit. Just don't expect it to change your life.