She, or Nobody review: A dusty, charming Weimar relic with giant hats

If you have a soft spot for dusty, crackly Weimar-era musical comedies where everyone breaks into song for no reason, She, or Nobody is absolutely worth an hour of your life. But if you get annoyed by scratchy audio and kings acting like absolute clowns, you should probably stay far, far away.

Honestly, I went into this expecting a total bore. It turns out to be weirdly charming in a very silly, theatrical way. 🎭

The Plot Is Paper Thin

So, we have this tiny, made-up kingdom. The kind where the ruler has nothing better to do than wander around looking for love.

The king falls hard for a girl, and of course, there are about five different misunderstandings that could be solved by one normal conversation. It reminds me a bit of the silly royal antics in The Runaway Princess, though that one had slightly better pacing.

The whole thing feels like it was filmed on three tiny stage sets. You can almost see the wooden floorboards creaking under the actors' feet when they dance.

Max Hansen and the Singing

Max Hansen is the real reason to watch this, honestly. He has this face that constantly looks like a disappointed cat, and his comic timing is just so weirdly modern.

Then there is Gitta Alpar. Her voice is so incredibly high-pitched it might actually make your dog bark.

There is this one scene where she hits a note so long I thought my speakers were going to give up. The guy playing opposite her just stands there smiling like a statue, and it is deeply awkward. 🎙️

It is those little awkward moments that make these old films so fun to watch. You can see the stage origins dripping off every single frame.

A Few Strange Details

Did anyone else notice the hats in this movie? They are ridiculously huge.

At one point, a character enters wearing a hat that looks like a small pirate ship. Nobody mentions it, which makes it even funnier.

The writing by Walter Supper and Johannes Brandt is mostly just an excuse to get from one song to the next. It does not have the sharp wit of Lend Me Your Name, but it gets the job done.

Also, the background extras are clearly not professional actors. In the big palace scene, you can see a guy in the back just staring directly into the camera lens for about three seconds before he realizes he is on film.

I love stuff like that. It makes the movie feel alive, even if it was made nearly a century ago.

Is It Actually Good?

Not really, but that is not the point. It is a cozy, harmless piece of Weimar fluff that does not try to be anything else.

If you like old operettas like The Vagabond King, this is right up your alley. Just do not expect a masterpiece.

It is just a silly little time capsule. And sometimes, that is exactly what you want on a rainy Sunday afternoon.