Remote Control (1930) Review: William Haines is a lot to handle

If you have about an hour to kill and you want to see what the world looked like when people were still figuring out how microphones worked, Remote Control is worth a look. You should watch it if you like fast-talking smart-alecks who can't stop making jokes even when people are getting shot. You will probably hate it if you need high-quality sound or a main character who isn't constantly trying to be the center of attention.

William Haines is the lead here. He plays Bill, a guy who gets a job as a radio announcer because he basically talked his way into it. He has this energy that is somewhere between a caffeinated squirrel and a used car salesman. It is a lot. Honestly, sometimes I wanted to reach through the screen and tell him to calm down for just a second. 📻

The plot is actually kind of cool for 1930. Bill realizes that the 'Ghost'—this mysterious criminal everyone is scared of—is sending secret codes through the radio station. They use song requests to tell the robbers which banks to hit. It is like an early version of a high-tech thriller, but with giant clunky microphones and people wearing tuxedos for no reason.

I noticed the sound is really hit or miss. Since this was made right when movies started talking, everyone stands really still when they speak. They are clearly trying to stay near the hidden mics. It makes the acting feel a bit stiff, like they are all afraid to move their necks.

There is this one scene where Bill is trying to propose to his girlfriend, and he keeps getting interrupted by the radio gear. It’s supposed to be funny, but it goes on a bit too long. You can feel the movie really wanting you to laugh at the physical comedy. I mostly just felt bad for the girl, Mary Doran, who mostly just has to stand there and look annoyed.

Speaking of the cast, there are so many people in this. Half of them just stand in the background and look at the camera. It’s not like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse where every extra feels like they have a purpose. Here, it feels like they just grabbed whoever was in the hallway and told them to look busy in the radio station office. 🎙️

The bad guys are surprisingly mean for a movie this old. Usually, 1930s villains are a bit cartoonish, but these guys are ready to kill people just to keep their radio code secret. The 'Ghost' character is built up to be this big scary mastermind, but when he finally shows up, he's just... a guy. It’s a bit of a letdown after all the whispering about him.

I really liked the look of the radio station. It has all these weird knobs and wires. It looks more like a mad scientist's lab than a place where you'd play music. There is a specific shot of the 'On Air' sign that flickers, and it felt very real in a way the rest of the stagey sets didn't.

Cliff Edwards is in this too. He’s the guy who voiced Jiminy Cricket later on. He does his usual bit, which is fine, but it feels like he’s in a completely different movie than the crime plot. One minute someone is being threatened with a gun, and the next, Cliff is making funny noises. The tone is all over the place. 🤪

The ending happens so fast. It is like the writers realized they only had five minutes of film left and needed to wrap everything up. Bill goes from being a suspect to a hero in about thirty seconds. It’s messy, but I guess that is part of the charm of these early talkies. They weren't trying to be art; they were just trying to keep you from falling asleep.

Didja notice?

• The way the actors stare at the microphone like it's a bomb about to go off.
• William Haines wears some very high-waisted pants. Like, they are up to his ribs.
• The 'secret code' for the bank robbery is literally just a song title. Not very subtle!
• There is a guy who plays a character named 'Doctor Zombu' and he is just as weird as the name suggests.
• The police in this movie seem to have no idea how to do their jobs until a radio guy tells them what to do.

It isn't a masterpiece. It isn't even the best William Haines movie. But it has this frantic, nervous energy that I kind of respect. It’s like watching a group of people try to build a plane while it’s already in the air. ✈️

If you've seen things like The Naughty Flirt, you know this era is full of these strange, loud comedies. Remote Control is better than most because the crime stuff actually has a bit of tension. Just be prepared for a lot of yelling.

I think my favorite part was a small moment where a character tries to use a telephone and looks genuinely confused by it. It’s those little human mistakes that make these old movies feel alive. Even if the script is a bit clunky, the people feel like they are trying their best to make sense of this new 'talking' movie thing.