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5.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Smoked Hams remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Probably not, unless you’re a total completist for 1930s shorts or just have a weird thing for vaudeville history. If you like your comedy fast, loud, and slightly desperate, maybe give it a spin. If you prefer things that make sense, you’ll likely hate it. 🤷♂️
The whole thing feels like a fever dream that ran out of money halfway through. It’s a vaudeville act about the Civil War. Who thought that was a good idea? It lands with a thud.
Daphne Pollard is working overtime here, and you can practically see the sweat. She’s throwing everything at the wall, but the script just isn't giving her any space to breathe. It’s just noise.
There's this moment where Shemp Howard shows up, and you think, "Okay, finally, some actual funny." But then the scene just ends. It’s like the editor fell asleep at the wheel. It's jarring, but also kind of fascinating in a "why does this exist?" kind of way.
Compared to something like The Slave, this is a real step down in terms of, well, everything. The pacing is a disaster. It’s like watching someone try to perform a juggling act while they’re actively being chased by a dog.
I don't know, maybe I'm being too harsh. It’s a relic. But it’s a relic that hasn't aged particularly well. It’s not quite as atmospheric as The Head of Janus, obviously, but it shares that same weird, detached energy of old cinema that feels like it’s from another planet.
The ending is abrupt. Like, really abrupt. It just stops. No payoff, no big punchline. Just done. I stared at the screen for a second wondering if my player broke. Nope. Just a weird, limp finish to a weird, limp movie.