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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. New Adventures of Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so if you're looking for something breezy and kinda charming from way back, "New Adventures of Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" might just be your ticket. It's a silly little picture about a con man trying to go straight, and it has some genuinely funny bits. If you like old-school capers with a bit of heart, give it a go. But if you need sharp dialogue and modern pacing, you'll probably hate it. This one's for the patient crowd, definitely. 😊
The main man, Wallingford, played by William Haines, he's got this real easy way about him. Not overly slick, just *confident*. You can see why people would hand over their cash. He just projects success, even when it's all a big lie.
His partners are great too. Blackie, the veteran, he’s seen it all, and Schnozzle, played by Jimmy Durante, well, he's just pure energy. Cuando Durante pops up, the whole screen just lights up, you know? It's like a jolt of espresso for the film.
The whole clay pot factory scam, it's pretty neat. They roll into this small town, Silverdale, and Wallingford just starts weaving this elaborate yarn about how rich everyone's going to get. It’s all about selling the dream, really. And the townsfolk, they just eat it up. You almost feel bad for them. Almost. 😬
There's this scene where Wallingford is trying to explain the 'vision' for the factory to a group of potential investors. He's waving his arms around, painting pictures with words, and you can see the dollar signs practically dancing in their eyes. It’s a classic, *smooth talker* moment.
But then Dorothy comes into it. She’s the local girl, kinda innocent, and Wallingford needs her to help sell the land. And of course, he falls for her. Like, *really* falls for her. Suddenly, all those easy marks don't seem so easy anymore. It messes with his head, you can tell.
There's a quiet moment, Wallingford just sitting alone, looking at a picture of Dorothy. It's not a big, dramatic speech, just a look on his face that says, "Oh, man, I'm in trouble now." It was pretty effective, honestly. Not every movie pulls off a silent realization that well.
And Schnozzle, he provides so much of the laughs. His pickpocketing skills are played for comedy, not really anything tense. One bit, he's trying to swipe a watch, and it just goes so ridiculously wrong. The timing for that gag was spot on. He’s just always *on*.
The movie gets a little slow in the middle part, once Wallingford starts having second thoughts. It's like it's trying to figure out what kind of movie it wants to be: a full-on comedy or a more serious romance. It never quite decides.
But when Wallingford decides he's actually going to try and make the factory *real*, to actually deliver on his promises, that's when it picks up again. You're rooting for him then, even though he's been such a scoundrel. It’s a nice switch.
The ending, it’s sweet. A bit predictable, sure, but it feels earned. You want to see the good guy, even if he was a bad guy, get his happy ending. The film has this gentle, unassuming charm all the way through, even with the few bits that drag.
You know, for an older film, it's got a nice pace when it wants to. It never feels *too* old, which is a compliment, I think. Just remember, it's a specific kind of old Hollywood fun. Don't expect anything groundbreaking, just a nice story with some laughs. And Jimmy Durante, of course! 👍
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