Checking in on the stars of 1931

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you are a total nerd for old Hollywood stuff. If you want a structured movie with a beginning, middle, and end, you will probably think this is a snooze. But for people who want to see how weirdly awkward stars looked when they weren't on a set? It’s a treat. 🍿

It’s essentially a collage of random moments. You see people lounging around, looking like they aren't quite sure where to put their hands. It feels very unscripted, which is a nice change of pace from the stuffy studio dramas of that era like Navy Blues.

There is this one moment where someone is just laughing at a joke that clearly wasn't that funny. The camera stays on them for about three seconds too long. It’s painfully human. You can almost feel the person behind the camera saying, "Keep smiling, don't move."

The weirdness factor

Watching these old shorts is always a trip. It’s not like The 'High Sign' where you have Buster Keaton doing his thing. Here, it’s just... people. It’s like looking at a stranger's photo album from a hundred years ago.

• The lighting is mostly just "bright sun" and hope for the best.
• Nobody knows what to do with their hats.
• The sound is missing, which makes the whole thing feel like a ghostly dream.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the actual stars. Some of them look like they are waiting for a bus that’s never going to show up. It’s a strange, quiet kind of movie. It doesn't ask much of you, and honestly, that’s fine by me.

It’s nowhere near as dramatic as A Ship Comes In, but it has this raw, unpolished energy. It’s not trying to win an award. It’s just trying to exist. And sometimes, that’s all a film needs to do to keep me watching. 🎞️