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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you’re looking for a quiet night in, maybe don’t put this one on. Love Lies is loud.
It’s the kind of movie where people don't just talk, they sort of shout-sing their way through a conversation. I think it's definitely worth a watch if you like seeing how people used to make each other laugh before everyone got so cynical.
If you hate old-timey staginess or people over-acting with their eyebrows, you’re going to want to turn this off after five minutes. It’s very much a recorded play, and it doesn't try to hide it.
Stanley Lupino is basically a human firecracker in this. He doesn't just walk into a room; he sort of vibrates into it.
There is this one bit where he’s trying to explain away his marriage, and his hands are moving so fast I thought the film was skipping. It reminded me a little bit of the energy in Too Much Youth, just that frantic need to keep the plot moving.
He has this rubber face that just doesn't stop. Sometimes it’s a bit much, but you can tell he was a massive star for a reason.
I noticed that his suit looks about half a size too small for him. Maybe that’s why he’s so fidgety the whole time.
The plot is your standard 'rich uncle is coming to visit and he can't know I'm married' thing. It's been done a million times, like in A Damsel in Distress, but here it feels more like a sport than a story.
Binnie Barnes is in this too, and she’s actually great. She has this way of looking at the camera like she knows exactly how ridiculous the whole situation is.
There’s a moment where she’s standing near a doorway and she just gives this tiny little shrug. It was the most human thing in the whole movie.
The sound quality is a bit crunchy, which is expected for 1931. But sometimes the background noise sounds like someone is frying bacon in the next room.
I also noticed a scene where a character picks up a telephone, and they start talking before they even get the receiver to their ear. It’s a tiny mistake, but it made me chuckle.
The sets are obviously painted wood and canvas. You can almost see the floorboards vibrating when someone jumps too hard.
I found myself wondering if they filmed this in a weekend. It has that 'we need to finish this before the sun goes down' vibe that you see in things like Rouged Lips.
One of the musical numbers feels like it starts in the middle of a sentence. One second they are arguing, and the next, there’s a full orchestra appearing out of nowhere.
Comedy is weird because it ages faster than anything else. Some of the jokes in Love Lies are just... gone. I don't even know what they were meant to be.
But the physical stuff? That still works. Watching a guy try to hide a woman in a closet while holding a tray of drinks is universal.
There is a scene with a fake beard that goes on way too long. Like, about three minutes too long. By the end of it, the beard is half-falling off and the actors are clearly trying not to laugh.
It’s those little moments where the polished movie mask slips that I really love. It feels less like a product and more like a bunch of people having a chaotic day at work.
The ending is very abrupt. Everything gets solved because the script says it has to, and then everyone basically waves at the camera.
It’s not 'cinema' with a capital C. It’s just a show.
If you’ve seen Where Was I?, you know how these early talkie comedies can be a bit hit or miss. This one is a hit, mostly because of the sheer sweat and effort Lupino puts into every frame. 🏃♂️
I think I liked it more than I expected to. Even the parts that didn't make sense felt like they were happening with a lot of heart.
Just don't expect a masterpiece. Expect a very loud, very fast evening with some people who really, really want you to smile.
IMDb —
1913
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