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5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Post-Haste remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you have five minutes and a weird obsession with mid-century office efficiency, sure. It is worth watching if you like historical curiosities or if you genuinely find the sound of postmark stamps soothing.
If you are looking for a plot, or character growth, or literally anything else? You are going to hate this. It is a glorified advertisement with a pulse, and it knows it.
The whole thing feels like being poked in the ribs by a very well-dressed postman. It is all about the impending doom of the holiday deadline, which, honestly, feels strangely relatable even today.
There is this moment where they show the sheer volume of mail piling up, and it is weirdly hypnotic. It reminds me of watching the slow-motion collapse in The Struggle, but with more brown paper packages tied with string.
Humphrey Jennings is behind this, and you can tell he is trying to make the mundane look heroic. He succeeds, I guess, in a very dry, British way. It is definitely not as chaotic as A College Racket, but it has its own frantic energy.
The editing is snappy. Maybe a little too snappy? It cuts back and forth between sorting rooms and street corners like someone had too much coffee. It’s almost disorienting.
It is not nearly as interesting as The Precious Parcel, which at least had a bit more of a narrative hook. This one is just a race against the clock.
I caught myself checking my own mail pile while watching it. That is either a sign of a great film or a very successful piece of government messaging. I am still not sure which.
Ultimately—wait, I promised myself I wouldn't use that word. Let's just say it is a strange, dusty little relic that manages to be oddly compelling. 📮