DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. My Weakness remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you’re a completionist for 1930s musical oddities. If you hate plot points that rely entirely on casual misogyny and men acting like they own the room, you are going to want to walk out after ten minutes. But if you find old-school studio sets and weird, stilted musical numbers charming, pull up a chair.
The whole premise is just... gross. A guy betting his uncle he can change a woman? It feels like the precursor to movies like How to Educate a Wife, but with more tap dancing and less self-awareness. I spent half the movie waiting for someone to point out that this is a terrible idea.
Lilian Harvey is doing her absolute best, but the script is doing her zero favors. She spends a lot of time looking confused, which, honestly, fair enough. The choreography has this stiff, mannequin-like quality that reminds me of some of the weirder moments in In Society. It’s like everyone was told to move exactly three inches to the left, or else.
The songs aren't exactly memorable, either. One of them felt like it lasted three hours. I found myself checking my phone, which is never a good sign. It lacks the snappy energy of Mickey's Rivals, where the chaos feels earned. Here, the chaos feels like the writers just threw pages at a wall.
Maybe it’s the era. Or maybe it’s just that the central bet is so incredibly unlikeable that I didn't care who won. By the time they hit the big finale, I was mostly just wondering if the cleaning lady ever actually got paid for her work. Probably not. 🙄
It’s not the worst thing ever, but it’s definitely not a lost classic. It’s a relic. A weird, slightly dusty, very loud relic.