DbcultAccessing Vault...
5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. No Other Woman remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, if you like those gritty, pre-code dramas where characters actually talk like real humans instead of statues, you'll dig No Other Woman. It’s got that specific 1933 snap to it. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romp, stay away. This movie is about as cozy as a cold radiator.
The whole thing kicks off with a steelworker who just wants a decent life. Then, boom, the dyeworks business takes off, and suddenly they are millionaires. You know exactly where this is going—the money turns them into people they barely recognize.
There’s this one scene where the furniture in their new house looks almost too expensive for the actors to sit on. It’s weirdly claustrophobic. It reminded me a bit of the tension in I Was Born, But..., where the domestic setup feels like a cage, even if the stakes here are totally different.
Buster Miles is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Sometimes he looks like he’s about to cry, and other times he’s just shouting at a wall. It works, though. It’s not polished, but it’s real.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not going to change your life. But it’s got enough bitterness to keep you watching. Plus, the clothes are great, even if the people wearing them are having a miserable time. 🥃
