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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. No Marriage Ties remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where people talk fast and drink even faster, this one’s for you. It’s definitely not for anyone who needs a moral lesson or a clean, happy ending. No Marriage Ties feels like a rough sketch that someone just decided to film without polishing the edges.
Richard Dix plays Bruce Foster, and he spends a good chunk of the movie looking like he’s got a permanent headache. Honestly, I don’t blame him. The guy is supposed to be a hotshot ad genius, but he mostly just stumbles from one crisis to another. It’s refreshing to watch a protagonist who is so clearly a total mess.
The pacing is… well, it’s frantic. It’s almost like the director was scared the audience would get bored if someone wasn’t shouting or pouring a drink every thirty seconds. There’s a scene where they’re launching a campaign that feels like it’s happening in real-time, but then it jumps ahead three months in a single cut. It’s a bit jarring, but it keeps things moving.
The office dynamics reminded me a little bit of the chaotic energy in The Salesman, though obviously in a very different key. There’s that same desperation to make a buck before the floor drops out from under you.
It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It’s a gritty, cynical snapshot of a guy who thinks he’s smarter than his own demons. The ending is abrupt—like, really abrupt. I sat there for a second waiting for more, then realized the credits were already rolling.
It’s fine. It’s a bit like watching a car crash in slow motion, but with better suits. 🥃