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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Never the Twins Shall Meet remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you aren't into 1930s slapstick, skip this entirely. You will hate the screechy voices and the constant running around. But if you have a soft spot for weird, forgotten relics that feel like they were made in a fever dream, you might actually find Never the Twins Shall Meet kind of fun.
It’s short. Like, really short. Which is a mercy, honestly.
The whole thing is built on that classic trope where people are just too stupid to realize they are talking to the wrong person. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in A Girl in Every Port, though way less polished. The characters just bounce off the walls.
There is this one moment where Roscoe Ates is just trying to have a conversation, and he looks so genuinely confused by the script that it almost feels real. It’s not a good performance by any standard measure, but it’s definitely a performance.
It doesn't have the grit of Graft or the weird ambition of Creation. It's just fluff. Pure, unadulterated, black-and-white fluff.
I found myself wondering if they even had a finished script, or if they just pointed a camera at the cast and said, "go for it." Some of the reactions from the supporting actors are just blank stares at the camera, which is honestly the highlight of the whole experience. 🙄
Don't look for meaning here. There isn't any. It's just a time capsule of people trying really, really hard to be funny. Sometimes it works. Usually, it’s just loud.
If you watch it, pay attention to the door frames. They look suspiciously like they were repainted five minutes before filming started. Little details like that are the only reason I watch these old things.