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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Stranded remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where everyone talks in that fast, clipped 1930s mid-Atlantic accent, sure. It’s a time capsule. If you’re looking for a realistic look at how a bridge gets built, you’re in the wrong place. Go watch a documentary instead.
Stranded isn't exactly a masterpiece, but it’s got this weird charm. It feels like a movie made because the studio had an extra set of blueprints and a few actors sitting around.
I kept waiting for the construction part to matter. The movie treats the Golden Gate Bridge like it’s just a backdrop for a coffee shop conversation. Every time they mention the actual project, it feels like they’re just checking a box.
The racketeer, played by Barton MacLane, is exactly what you expect. He’s mean, he wears a hat indoors, and he has a generic plan to make money. He’s not interesting, but he is loud. Sometimes that's enough.
There is a scene near the middle where a worker just kind of wanders off-screen. It lasts for like five seconds too long. It felt like the guy realized he wasn't supposed to be in the shot and just... left. Nobody yelled cut.
Also, the romance. Kay Francis is doing all the heavy lifting here. She has this look on her face like she’s trying to figure out if she left the stove on back home. It works, though. It’s way more interesting than whatever George Brent is doing with his eyebrows.
Comparing it to something like The Hungry Heart, it feels way more rushed. It’s like they were trying to beat a deadline. Maybe they were worried the bridge would actually get finished before the film did?
It’s not as stiff as Counsel's Opinion, but it’s definitely not going to change your life. It’s just a movie that exists. Sometimes that’s okay. Fine. 🌉