Lonely Wives Review: Edward Everett Horton is Twice the Chaos

Is it worth the watch?

If you like those old movies where people are constantly running in and out of rooms, you’ll probably have a really good time with Lonely Wives. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard.

But honestly? If you find 'misunderstanding' plots annoying, this movie will make you want to scream at the screen. 📺

The whole thing is basically Edward Everett Horton talking to himself, which is a dream if you like his specific brand of nervous energy. He plays a guy named Smith who is bored because his wife is away.

Smith meets this vaudeville guy named Felix who looks exactly like him. Naturally, the only logical thing to do is hire the guy to pretend to be him so Smith can go out with a pretty coquette named Kitty.

I forgot how much people in 1931 loved the word 'coquette.' It sounds so much fancier than just saying someone is a flirt.

The movie feels very much like a stage play that someone decided to film at the last minute. The sets are kind of big and empty, like a museum where someone forgot to put the art up. 🏛️

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

When the mother-in-law shows up, things get super weird. Maude Eburne plays her, and she has this face that looks like she just bit into a lemon and is trying to be polite about it.

She keeps following the 'fake' Smith around, and you can tell Horton is having the time of his life acting confused. It’s that classic 1930s fast-talking style where you miss half the jokes if you blink.

There is this one scene where they are trying to hide someone in a cabinet. It goes on for like three minutes too long, but it’s still kind of charming in a clunky way.

I noticed the sound quality is a bit crackly, which is expected for 1931. Sometimes the actors shout their lines like they are trying to reach the back of a theater instead of a camera three feet away.

The wife, played by Esther Ralston, shows up early and that’s when the 'fun' starts. Or the headache, depending on your mood. 😵‍💫

She thinks the impersonator is her husband, and the impersonator is just trying to get through the night without getting caught. It’s a lot of near misses and people almost walking into each other in hallways.

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

It reminded me a bit of the energy in One Exciting Day, though maybe a bit more focused on the bedroom farce stuff. The way they handle the 'double' on screen is actually pretty decent for the time.

You can see the line sometimes where they spliced the film to have two Hortons. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than some movies made ten years later.

I kept thinking about how Smith is actually kind of a jerk? He’s literally paying a guy to trick his family so he can go cheat. But because it’s a comedy from a hundred years ago, we’re just supposed to laugh at his stress.

There’s a bit with a tuxedo that made me laugh more than it should have. The way the fake Smith doesn't know how to wear the clothes right is just peak physical comedy.

If you've seen Her Golden Calf, you know this era of comedy can be hit or miss. Lonely Wives is definitely a hit if you like the 'frantic' style.

The ending is a total mess, but in a way that feels right for a movie that starts with such a dumb idea. Everyone is yelling and the music gets all loud and then it just... ends.

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

One thing that stuck out was the maid. She has this look on her face like she knows exactly what’s happening but she’s not getting paid enough to care. 🧹

I love when background characters in these old movies look bored. It feels more real than the main actors who are doing The Most at all times.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s got that 1930s charm where everything feels like a big, silly secret.

I’d say it’s better than One Night Only because Horton is just such a powerhouse of a weirdo. He carries the whole thing on his shoulders.

Small things I noticed:

• The way the mother-in-law holds her purse like it's a weapon.
• A very weird shadow on the wall during the dinner scene that looks like a giant hand.
• The fact that Smith’s 'den' has more books than a public library but he never touches one.
• How fast people drink their cocktails back then. Like, one gulp and the glass is empty.

Anyway, if you want a movie that feels like a caffeinated stage play, give it a go. Just don't expect it to make much sense by the final act. It’s just Horton being Horton, and usually, that’s enough. 🥂

I’m probably gonna watch Some Baby next to see if the comedy holds up the same way. This 1931 stuff is a specific vibe that you have to be in the mood for.

It’s not deep. It’s not 'important.' It’s just people being loud and confused in nice clothes.