Men Are Such Fools: A Downer of a Drama

Is this thing worth a watch?

Honestly, only if you’re into those dusty, slightly depressing dramas from the early days of talkies. If you like your movies sunny and optimistic, run the other way. This isn't a fun time. It’s a bit of a slog, really. But if you have a soft spot for actors like Leo Carrillo doing his absolute best with a script that feels like it was written in a dark room during a thunderstorm, you might find something here.

The whole thing starts with an Italian guy just trying to get a footing in America. His girlfriend is basically waiting for the next bus to wealth-town. It’s not exactly subtle, the way she looks at him like he’s a piece of furniture she’s ready to replace. It’s painful to watch, and not in the 'artistic' way.

Once they hit the States, the movie takes a hard left into Soap Opera Land. She starts hanging around a nightclub owner who has all the personality of a damp sponge. There’s a scene where the husband catches them, and instead of a grand, dramatic confrontation, it feels a bit… messy? Kind of like a real fight where nobody looks heroic.

Some odd notes I took:

• The pacing is all over the place. One minute they’re in Italy, the next they’re in a jail cell.
• Vivienne Osborne looks like she’s trying to carry the entire plot on her shoulders while everyone else is just wandering through the sets.
• The dialogue feels like it was ripped straight out of a 1930s pulp novel that was already two days old.

I couldn't help but compare it to Payment Deferred. Both films have that same heavy, suffocating atmosphere where you just know everything is going to end badly. It’s the kind of gloom that sticks to your shoes.

When the husband ends up in prison, the movie shifts into this weird, hollow shell of itself. You can feel the screenwriters struggling to get to the finish line. The ending happens so fast it almost gives you whiplash. One minute he’s on parole, the next he’s doing life. It’s not earned, but maybe that’s the point? Life doesn't always have a neat third act.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s barely a sturdy house. But there’s a flicker of something real in the way the husband handles his grief. It’s quiet, and it’s sad, and it’s probably the only reason I didn't turn it off halfway through. 📽️

If you're looking for something with a bit more punch, maybe go watch Polly of the Circus instead. At least that one knows what it wants to be.