Clara Bow in No Limit (1931) is messy but fun

If you have about an hour and some change to spare today, No Limit is actually a pretty decent watch. You’ll probably like it if you're into that specific Pre-Code energy where characters make fast, questionable choices. If you need a movie to have a perfectly logical plot, you’re going to hate this one within twenty minutes.

It starts with Clara Bow as Bunny, working as a theater usherette. She looks great in the uniform, even if the hat looks a bit itchy.

There is this moment early on where she’s just handling people in the theater and you can tell Clara still has that silent movie spark in her eyes. It’s a bit weird hearing her talk though. The transition to sound wasn't always kind to everyone, but she sounds okay here, just very... New York.

Anyway, she ends up in charge of a gambling joint by accident. It's one of those movie coincidences that only happens in 1931.

The guy she falls for, played by Norman Foster, is kind of a dud. He’s a gambler and a bit of a loser, frankly.

I kept waiting for Bunny to realize she could do better. But she's loyal, maybe to a fault.

The Gambling Room Vibes

The sets for the gambling den are actually pretty cool. They have that Art Deco look that feels expensive but also slightly hollow.

There is a scene where a bunch of people are crowded around a table and the extras just look... confused? One guy in the background is staring directly at the camera for a split second.

It reminded me a little bit of the atmosphere in The Big Town, but less gritty.

The dialogue is fast. Sometimes too fast.

Characters just walk into rooms and start shouting their motivations at each other. It’s honest, at least.

There is a funny bit with a parrot. I think it was a parrot. It adds absolutely nothing to the story, but it’s there.

I wrote down in my notes: "Why is the music so loud during the talking?" The sound mixing is definitely a product of its time.

Sometimes you can't hear what the ne'er-do-well is saying because the background noise is just a constant hum.

Clara Bow is the whole show

Let's be real, nobody is watching this for the guy or the gambling math. You watch it for Clara.

She has this way of leaning against a doorframe that makes everyone else in the scene look like they are made of wood. Even when the script is thin, she’s trying her best to make Bunny feel like a real person.

There's a scene where she's worried about a heist or a raid, and her hands are shaking just a little bit. It felt real. Not like "acting" real, but like she was actually nervous on set that day.

The movie gets much better once it stops trying to be a romance and just lets Bunny be the boss.

I wish there were more scenes of her just running the place and kicking people out.

The ending comes out of nowhere. It’s like the writers realized they only had five minutes of film left and needed to wrap everything up with a bow.

It’s not as creepy as something like The Cat Creeps, but it has its own weird tension.

• The usherette outfit is the best costume in the movie.
• Norman Foster needs to comb his hair.
• The gambling chips sound like actual coins, which is a nice touch.
• There's a lot of smoking. Like, a lot.

One reaction shot of a tuxedo-wearing guy lingers for so long it becomes funny. I think he forgot his line, or the director fell asleep.

If you've seen Daddy's Gone A-Hunting, you know how these domestic dramas can get a bit heavy. This stays lighter than that, mostly.

Is it a masterpiece? No.

But it's got Clara Bow being charming and a plot that moves fast enough that you don't get bored.

I’ve seen worse ways to spend an afternoon. 🎬

The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a week, and honestly, that’s part of the charm. It’s messy.

It doesn't try to be anything other than a quick story about a girl who gets in over her head.

Check it out if you find it on a streaming service or a dusty DVD.