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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Love Affair remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're into dusty 1930s dramas where people talk in very specific, clipped tones, you’ll probably find something to latch onto here. It’s not exactly The Divorcee in terms of punch, but it has that weird, grainy charm. If you need your movies to be fast-paced or logical, stay away. This one wanders.
The whole thing kicks off with Carol, our heiress, deciding that aeronautical engineering is her new personality. It’s a classic setup. She meets Jim, the guy who actually knows how to fly, and suddenly nobody is doing their job anymore. The chemistry is… well, it’s there, I guess? It feels a bit like they were told to stand near each other and look serious.
There’s this moment where Jim just stops showing up for work because he’s too busy being lovestruck. It feels a bit abrupt. Like, he goes from being a professional pilot to a guy who forgets he has a career in the span of one scene. It’s a little jarring, honestly.
Then the plot twists start piling up. Finding out your fortune is actually a lie told by your advisor is the kind of thing that usually happens in these movies, but here it feels a bit heavy-handed. Bruce Hardy is the classic 'secret benefactor' type, and you can spot his motives from a mile away. Sneaky, but predictable.
I caught myself looking at the background furniture more than the leads at one point. The sets have that very stagey, artificial quality that makes everything feel like it might tip over if you pushed it. There’s a specific lampshade in the study that really steals the show for about three minutes.
Is it better than The Big House? Not by a long shot. It lacks that grit. But there’s something oddly soothing about watching people in 1932 navigate problems that don't exist anymore. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s not trying to be, either.
Also, Humphrey Bogart shows up. It’s a small role, and he’s not the Bogart you know from the later noir stuff, but it’s funny to see him pop in. He looks like he’s just happy to be on set. 🤷♂️
The pacing is a bit of a nightmare. It lingers on conversations that could have been three lines long, then skips over the stuff that actually matters. You can almost feel the editors trying to cram too much plot into a runtime that clearly wasn't long enough.
Ultimately, it’s one of those movies you watch on a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard. It’s imperfect, a little goofy, and totally harmless. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
IMDb 5.4
1919
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