Stingaree (1934) is a weird, charming bandit musical

You should probably watch this today if you like movies that feel like a strange dream you had after eating too much cheese. It is definitely for fans of Irene Dunne or people who find old-fashioned outlaws funny. If you can't stand old-timey singing or plots that move like a tired horse, skip it.

So, the whole thing is set in Australia, but it looks exactly like a park in California. It is about this girl, Hilda, who is basically a maid for these rich, annoying people. She wants to be a famous singer but she is stuck scrubbing floors and being yelled at.

Then comes Stingaree. He’s a bandit, but he’s like a fancy bandit. Richard Dix plays him and he wears this monocle while he’s holding people up with a gun. It’s so weird and I love it.

He hears Hilda singing and decides he’s gonna make her a star. Not because he’s a talent scout, but because he’s a criminal who likes music, I guess? He kidnaps a famous music guy to make him listen to her. That is one way to get an audition, I supose.

The chemistry between Dix and Dunne is actually really sweet. They have this scene where they are just talking and you can tell they actually like each other. It’s not like those fake movie romances that feel forced.

I noticed this one part where a guy is playing the piano and his hands don't really match the music at all. It’s those little things that make these old movies so much fun. It feels real because it's a bit messy.

The movie doesn't really know if it wants to be an action movie or a musical. One minute there is a shootout, and the next minute Irene Dunne is singing a long song about her heart. It’s high burstiness, for sure.

Things I liked a lot:

• Andy Devine is in this and his voice is just the best thing ever. He sounds like a bag of gravel in a blender.
• The bandit’s outfit is top tier. He has these boots that look very uncomfortable but very cool.
• The way Mary Boland plays the grumpy lady is so funny, she’s always doing something with her face in the background.

There is a scene where Stingaree has to escape and he just kind of jumps on his horse and leaves. The editing is a bit jumpy there. You can tell they probably only had one take for it.

It reminds me a bit of the energy in Sons of the Desert even though that’s a total comedy. There’s just this 1930s vibe where everything feels like a stage play that accidentally wandered outside.

I think the middle part of the movie drags a little bit. She goes off to Europe to become a star and we don't see the bandit for a while. I missed the monocle. The movie is way better when they are together in the woods.

Also, there is a lot of talk about "Cooee!" which is apparently an Australian thing. They shout it at each other all the time. It gets stuck in your head after a while. I found myself saying it to my cat this morning.

The ending is very fast. Like, they realized they only had five minutes of film left and had to wrap everything up. It’s not very realistic, but who cares? It’s 1934.

Irene Dunne’s singing is actually really good. Usually in these old movies, the opera stuff is a bit screechy, but she has a nice voice. You can see why a bandit would risk going to jail just to hear her hit a high note.

One weird thing—the rich family she works for is so mean it’s almost like a cartoon. They are just evil for no reason. It makes you really root for the criminal, which I guess is the point.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s got a lot of heart. It’s better than a lot of the stuff that comes out now because it doesn't feel like it was made by a computer. It feels like a bunch of people having fun with a weird story.

The way the bandit looks at her when she’s singing... you can tell he’s really listening. It’s a small detail but it makes the whole romance work. Most actors would just look bored.

Anyway, if you like a bit of adventure and a bit of singing, give it a shot. It’s short enough that even if you hate it, you haven't lost much time. But I bet you’ll like it more than you think.

I keep thinking about that monocle. Why would a bandit wear a monocle while riding a horse? It must fall out all the time. That is the kind of stuff I think about when I watch these.

If you enjoy this, you might also like The Lightning Raider or maybe something like Drums of Love. They have that same kind of old-school energy.

The horse is a good actor too. He stands very still while people are shouting. Good horse.