One Sunday Afternoon: A dentist who really needs to move on

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school, slightly stagey dramas where everyone talks a bit too loud, you might dig this. If you get bored by people sitting in dental chairs talking about their regrets for an hour, definitely skip it.

Gary Cooper is in this, which is usually a win. But man, he plays Biff like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s a dentist, and he’s stuck in the past. Like, really stuck.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of One Sunday Afternoon (1933) through its definitive frames.

The whole movie feels like a long, dusty memory you’d find in an attic. It’s not exactly fast-paced. It’s more like watching someone flip through an old photo album while they grumble about their ex-best friend.

The Grudge

Biff spends the whole time thinking about Virginia Brush. It’s the classic story of the guy who didn't get the girl and decided to make it his entire personality. It’s a bit sad, honestly. You want to reach into the screen and tell him to just floss and move on.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of One Sunday Afternoon (1933) through its definitive frames.

The relationship between Biff and Hugo is the real core here. It’s messy. It’s that kind of friendship that turns sour because of pride and misunderstanding. It reminded me a bit of the tension you see in El precio de la gloria, where the rivalry just eats everyone alive.

• The dental office set looks like a museum.
• Cooper’s performance is weirdly subdued.
• The dialogue feels like it was ripped straight from a stage play script.

There’s this one moment where Biff is just staring out the window. Nothing happens. No music swells. No big reveal. It just lingers. It’s probably five seconds too long, but it’s strangely honest.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of One Sunday Afternoon (1933) through its definitive frames.

Honestly, the movie is a bit uneven. Some scenes hit that sweet spot of nostalgia and regret. Other scenes? They just drag. You can feel the gears of the plot grinding to get to the next flashback.

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece or anything. It’s more like a curiosity. It’s the kind of thing you watch when it’s raining and you don’t want to think too hard. Just don’t expect a lighthearted romp.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of One Sunday Afternoon (1933) through its definitive frames.

Also, the hair and makeup? Man, they really went for it. It’s a time capsule of a different era. Not necessarily a *good* era, just a different one.

At the end of the day, it’s a story about a guy who finally realizes that his anger was just a waste of a good Sunday. Relatable, I guess. We've all been there. 🦷