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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Strictly Modern remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you are looking for something fast-paced, Strictly Modern is definitely not it. But if you have a soft spot for those early sound movies where everyone talks like they are trying not to wake up a baby in the next room, you might actually like this. It is mostly for fans of 1930s cinema who don't mind a bit of clunky stage-to-screen adaptation.
Most people will probably find it boring. It stays in one or two rooms for way too long. But Dorothy Mackaill has this energy that keeps the whole thing from sinking into the floorboards.
The story is about a lady novelist who thinks she is an expert on romance. She writes these books about how modern women should behave, but she is actually pretty sheltered. Then she falls in love and, big surprise, all her theories go out the window.
It is a very simple setup. Dorothy Mackaill is really the only reason to watch this. She has a way of looking at the other actors like she knows exactly how ridiculous the dialogue is.
There is this one scene where she is sitting at her desk, and the way she handles her fountain pen is so specific. You can tell she’s actually thinking about the scene, not just waiting for her turn to speak. It is a small thing, but in a movie this old, those tiny human moments are what stick out.
The sound recording is... not great. You can hear the background hiss and every time someone moves a chair, it sounds like a thunderstorm. This was 1930, so they were still figuring out where to hide the microphones. Sometimes the actors stand really still in weird spots, probably because they were told not to move away from the mic hidden in the flower vase.
Sidney Blackmer is the love interest, and he is okay I guess. He has that very stiff, 1930s leading man vibe where he stands with his chest puffed out like he’s posing for a statue. He doesn't have half the charisma that Mackaill has.
The writing is credited to Gene Towne and a couple of others. It feels like they were trying to be witty, but the jokes land with a bit of a thud today. Or maybe the timing is just off because of how slow the editing is.
I kept thinking about how different this is from something like The Jungle or even a silent film like The Passion Play. Those movies feel like they are trying to show you the world. This movie feels like it just wants to show you a nice living room and some people with complicated feelings about marriage.
There is a side character, an aunt or something, played by Kathrin Clare Ward. She spends a lot of time looking worried in the background. Her facial expressions are actually way more interesting than the main plot sometimes.
At one point, there is a conversation about what it means to be a "modern" woman. It’s funny because their idea of modern is so incredibly old-fashioned now. It makes you wonder what people will think of our "modern" movies in a hundred years. Probably that we all talked too fast and moved around too much.
The movie doesn't really have a climax. It just sort of... happens. People talk, they get upset, they make up, and then it ends. It is very polite.
If you have seen Iris or maybe Sky High Corral, you know that these early B-movies can be a real gamble. This one isn't a masterpiece, but it isn't a disaster either. It is just a moment in time captured on some grainy film stock.
I noticed that the lighting in the office scene is actually pretty good. There is a nice shadow across the wall that makes the room feel bigger than it probably was. It is one of the few times the movie feels like it’s using the camera for something other than just recording people talking.
One reaction shot of Mickey Bennett goes on for about three seconds too long. He just stares. It’s supposed to be a look of realization, but he just looks like he forgot his next line. I laughed a little, but I don't think I was supposed to.
Anyway, it is a decent way to spend an hour if you like looking at 1930s furniture and hats. The hats in this movie are incredible. Dorothy wears one that looks like a very fancy satellite dish.
Is it better than The Coast Patrol? Probably. At least the dialogue is somewhat coherent even if it is a bit dry. It doesn't have the weird energy of something like His Wooden Wedding, but it’s got its own thing going on.
Final thought: If you're a completist for early talkies, watch it. If not, you can probably just look at some production stills and get the same vibe. It’s a slight movie. Not every film has to be a big deal, and this one definitely knows it isn't.
IMDb —
1923
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