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5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. No One Man remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you have a soft spot for pre-code melodrama or just really want to watch Carole Lombard navigate a script that can't quite decide if it's a romance or a critique of the upper class. If you like your movies tight and logical, stay away. If you like watching talented people try to make the best of a thin premise, you’ll find a few things to enjoy.
The whole thing kicks off with a boyfriend dying of a weak heart, which feels like a very convenient way to move the plot along. It’s not long before our socialite lead is chasing after the doctor. The power dynamic is weird, maybe even a little icky by today's standards, but the movie just rolls right over that.
Carole Lombard is completely magnetic, even when the dialogue sounds like it was written on a cocktail napkin during a long lunch. She brings this frantic energy to the screen that makes you almost believe she’s actually interested in this guy. It's way more effort than the screenplay deserves.
Paul Lukas as the doctor is perfectly fine, though he’s mostly there to be the “serious man” who stands around looking unimpressed by parties. It’s funny how these movies always make the wealthy characters seem like they have nothing to do but stare at clocks and wait for phone calls.
There is a scene in the second act that drags on for an eternity. They’re just talking in a room, and the lighting is so flat it looks like a rehearsal. You can tell they were trying to capture a sense of longing, but it just feels like they forgot to yell 'cut' at the right time.
I found myself comparing the pacing to something like Bell Boy 13, which manages to handle its lighter tone with a bit more grace. Here, the drama feels like it’s being forced through a funnel.
One weird detail: watch the extras in the background of the party scenes. There’s a guy in the back left of the ballroom who looks like he’s having a much better time than anyone in the main cast. He’s just living his life, ignoring the romantic tension entirely. It’s the highlight of the scene.
It isn't a masterpiece. It isn't even the best thing Lombard ever did. But sometimes you just need a movie that feels like it was filmed in a different universe where hearts break easily and doctors are always available for a chat at 2:00 AM. It’s not quite as weird as Moon Madness, but it’s definitely its own kind of strange. 🎞️
IMDb 5.9
1930
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