One More Time: A Sweet, Silly Trip Back to Simpler Cinema 🚓

So, "One More Time." Is it worth carving out an hour or so for today? Honestly, probably not for the mainstream crowd expecting complex plots or big-budget thrills. But if you’ve got a soft spot for really early cinema, or just want something utterly unpretentious to unwind with, you might get a kick out of it. Those who need every scene to build to something profound or want blistering action will probably be bored stiff. It’s a very specific taste, like finding an old, slightly faded candy wrapper and remembering what was inside. 🍬

Our main guy, Cop Foxy, bless his heart. He’s trying. You can see it in his earnest little uniform and the way he puffs his chest out when he tries to flag down a speeding car. It's almost comical how dedicated he is, even when the 'dangerous drivers' look more like they’re just late for a picnic than truly menacing. There’s one bit where he tries to direct traffic with this huge, almost ceremonial hand gesture, and a car just… drives around him. It’s pretty good.

The whole 'dangerous drivers' thing is played for laughs more than actual danger. These aren't speed demons, more like folks who don't quite grasp how roads work. There’s a scene early on where a car just sort of *wobbles* through the town square. It’s less 'Fast & Furious' and more 'Grandma learning to drive for the first time.' 😂

Then the gangsters show up. They're not subtle, wearing hats tilted just so and always lurking in groups of three. When they nab Foxy’s sweetheart, Marcellite Garner, it’s less a dramatic abduction and more like they just… picked her up off the street. She doesn't even put up much of a fight at first, just a slight gasp. You almost wonder if she was just going along with it for a bit.

Johnny Murray as one of The King’s Men (the bad guys, I guess?) has this wonderfully exaggerated sneer. Every time he’s on screen, he’s practically chewing the scenery. It’s the kind of over-the-top villainy you don't really see anymore, and it’s kinda refreshing. No complicated motivations, just a guy being a jerk. You gotta respect that.

The movie really leans into its simple charms. The chase scenes, for instance, are less about speed and more about persistence. Foxy on his little bicycle, pedaling furiously after a clunky car. The edits are quick, but the actual *movement* is… leisurely. It’s definitely not a New York Luck kind of hustle. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, even as it chugs along at its own pace.

One small thing I liked: there’s a moment when Foxy is trying to figure out where his sweetheart was taken. He just stands there, scratching his head, then looks directly at the camera, almost as if asking us for help. It’s a little fourth-wall break that feels completely unintentional, but it adds to the quirky vibe. Like the filmmakers just forgot how to block the scene for a sec.

The King's Men, as a collective, are just… a presence. They don't have individual personalities beyond 'bad guy #1,' 'bad guy #2,' etc. But they do a good job of looking menacing enough for the era. Their hideout, when Foxy finally tracks them, is surprisingly clean. You’d think for kidnappers, they’d have a bit more grime. Just a thought.

The movie gets noticeably better once it stops taking itself too seriously, which happens around the time Foxy finally gets his act together for the rescue. Up until then, it’s a lot of him looking confused or frustrated. But when he has a clear goal, even if it’s just riding his bike really fast, the film finds its groove.

Is it a forgotten masterpiece? Nah. Is it a fun little curio if you know what you’re getting into? Absolutely. It’s a snapshot of a different time in filmmaking, where sincerity often trumped spectacle. And sometimes, that’s just what you need.

Didja notice?

• Foxy’s hat falls off at least three times during the climax. A running gag, or just gravity?
• The villain’s hideout has a surprising number of potted plants. 🌱 Who waters them?
• One reaction shot of a townsperson watching the chase lingers so long it becomes funny. Like, *really* long.
• The car horn sound effect is definitely recycled. You hear it like four times. 📢
• The 'dangerous drivers' seem to be driving the same car, just with different people in it. Budget constraints, probably.