Lady Killer (1937) review: Jean Gabin is a mess and I loved it

Is it worth your time?

You should watch this if you like watching a tough guy slowly fall apart. It is great if you're into those old French movies where everyone smokes and looks miserable in a beautiful way.

You will probably hate it if you need things to happen fast. It is a slow burn that gets under your skin rather than hitting you over the head.

Jean Gabin is the main guy here, Lucien. He is a Spahi soldier in the French colonies, wearing this ridiculous red cape and a hat that shouldn't look cool, but somehow does on him.

Everyone calls him 'Gueule d'amour' which basically means he has a face made for love. He knows it, too.

The first half of the movie is almost like a different film. It’s sunny and bright in Cannes.

Lucien is the king of the barracks. He treats women like they are disposable, which is kind of annoying to watch now, but you get the point.

Then he meets Madeleine. She is played by Mireille Balin, and she looks like she was carved out of expensive ice.

She isn't impressed by his soldier routine. That is exactly what ruins him.

There is this one scene at a gambling table. The way she looks at her cards and then at him... you can see him just give up on his common sense right there.

He gets discharged from the army and goes to Paris. This is where the movie gets heavy and a bit depressing.

Paris in this movie doesn't look like the postcard version. It looks cramped and damp.

Lucien finds out that Madeleine is basically a kept woman. She likes his face, sure, but she likes her silk sheets and rich benefactors more.

He ends up working as a printing press operator. It's a loud, dirty job that makes him look small compared to his days in the red cape.

I felt bad for him, but also, he was being such a clown. He follows her around like a puppy while she treats him like an old shoe.

There is a lot of silence in their apartment. Not the romantic kind of silence.

It’s the kind where you can hear the clock ticking and you realize you have nothing to say to the person you're obsessed with. It reminded me a bit of the tension in Silent Night, but with more French cynicism.

Lucien eventually has enough and moves back to Orange, in the south. He opens a little cafe with his friend René.

René is played by René Lefèvre, and honestly, he is the best part of the movie. He’s just a nice guy who wants to drink wine and hang out with his buddy.

The movie gets noticeably better once they are in the cafe. The lighting gets all moody and the shadows start getting longer.

Then Madeleine shows up again. Because of course she does.

She can't let him be happy. She doesn't want him, but she doesn't want anyone else to have him either.

The ending is... well, it’s a 1930s tragedy. It isn't subtle.

There is a lot of shouting and a very dramatic finality to it all. It felt a little bit like the heavy drama in The Absentee, though maybe more grounded in personal jealousy.

Gabin is just so good at looking exhausted. By the end, his eyes look like they've seen everything and regretted most of it.

The way he leans against a doorframe is more acting than most people do with their whole bodies. It’s all in the shoulders.

I did find the pacing a bit wonky in the middle. There’s a stretch in Paris where I kind of wanted them to just get on with it.

Also, the music is sometimes way too loud for what is happening on screen. It’s that old-school orchestral stuff that tries to tell you how to feel every second.

But the atmosphere is thick. You can almost smell the cheap wine and the cigarette smoke coming off the screen.

It’s a movie about how being handsome doesn't save you from being a total idiot. I think a lot of people can relate to that, even if they aren't 1930s French soldiers.

Random things I noticed:

• The mustache on Gabin in the first half is a choice. It’s very thin.
• There is a scene with a train that feels very modern for 1937. The editing is fast.
• Madeleine’s mother is terrifying in a very quiet way.
• The way they drink coffee out of those giant bowls always makes me hungry.
• One extra in the background of the cafe scene looks exactly like my uncle. It was distracting.

If you're looking for something light, maybe try Poppy instead. This one is for when you want to feel a bit sad on a Tuesday night.

It isn't a perfect movie. Some of the dialogue feels a bit stiff now.

But the feeling of it... the vibe... that stays with you. It’s a solid flick for anyone who likes the dark side of romance. 🍷