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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Men Without Women remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Okay, so Men Without Women from 1930. Is it worth checking out today? Well, if you're into early sound films, or just want to see how they handled pure tension back then, yeah, it's got something. But if you need fast action or polished dialogue, you'll probably bounce off this one pretty quick. It's for the patient viewer, maybe someone who really digs history on screen. 🕰️
The setup is classic: a U.S. Navy submarine sinks, trapping its crew. Up above, divers scramble, trying to get these guys out. It’s a simple premise, one that still works decades later, but here it’s got that specific early-talkie flavor.
Right from the start, you feel the cramped quarters of the sub. They didn't have huge sets, but the way the camera kinda *pushes* in, it sells the claustrophobia. You can almost smell the stale air, which is pretty good for a movie almost a hundred years old.
The sinking itself is quick, almost abrupt. One minute they're fine, the next they're on the bottom. There’s a moment, after the initial chaos, where the silence hits. It’s not a fancy silence, just a real quiet that makes you feel how stuck they are. That really lands.
Inside the sub, the crew starts to deal with it. Some guys are panicking, others trying to keep calm. There’s this one sailor, I forget his name, but he just stares at the water seeping in. His face, man, it says it all without a single word. 😬
Then we cut to the rescue efforts. The divers and their gear look incredibly heavy and awkward. You watch them being lowered down, and you just know that job was not for the faint of heart. The water effects on the surface are pretty good for the era, but underwater shots are a bit murky, which kinda adds to the danger, actually.
The sound design is a big part of it, being an early talkie. The creaking of the sub, the muffled voices of the divers – it’s all very present. Sometimes the dialogue is a bit hard to make out, you really have to strain. But that’s part of the charm, I guess. It feels raw.
One scene that stuck with me is when they’re trying to figure out how much air they have left. The conversation goes on, a little repetitive, but it builds this slow, grinding dread. It’s not fast-paced; it’s more about the waiting.
There’s a small appearance from John Wayne. He's just another sailor, not the big star he’d become. If you weren’t looking for him, you’d probably miss him. He’s got maybe two lines, barely registers. It’s kinda fun to spot him though. 👀
The movie does get a bit melodramatic in spots. You can tell they’re really trying to milk the emotion. Sometimes it works, sometimes it feels a little… much. Like a character will suddenly make a big speech when a quieter moment might have been more effective.
What really makes this film work, I think, is its commitment to the situation. It doesn't try to be anything it isn't. It's a submarine full of men, running out of time. The danger feels real, even if the acting styles are a bit different from what we're used to today.
The pacing, for sure, is slower than anything you'd see now. But it forces you to sit with these guys, to feel their helplessness. It’s not an action flick; it’s more of a pressure cooker drama. And for 1930, that’s pretty cool. 💯
So yeah, give it a shot if you’re curious about old films or love a good survival story. Just go in knowing it’s a different kind of beast. It has its moments, for sure.
IMDb 6.9
1929
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