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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Tanned Legs remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a rainy Sunday and want to see how people actually acted at the beach in 1929, this is totally worth it.
People who like light pre-code fun will have a blast, but if you want a plot that actually makes sense, you're gonna hate it.
The movie is called Tanned Legs and boy, does it live up to the name. The camera spends the first five minutes just panning over people's ankles and calves at a resort. 🦵
Peggy (played by June Clyde) is the main girl and she's basically the only adult in the room, even though she's supposed to be the young one. Her sister Janet is a total mess who got herself into a blackmail situation over some "love letters."
I kept thinking, just burn the letters, Janet! But then we wouldn't have a movie, I guess.
The parents are even worse, both of them flirting with people who are clearly just after their money. It’s kinda sad but the movie keeps it breezy so you don't feel too bad for them.
There is this one guy, Arthur Lake, who is just doing the most in every scene. He’s got this weird, twitchy energy that makes me think he had way too much caffeine before they started filming.
He reminds me a bit of the chaotic vibes in Tillie's Punctured Romance, though maybe not quite as loud.
The musical numbers just sort of... happen. One minute they are arguing about a blackmail plot, and the next, Johnny Johnson’s Orchestra is blasting music and everyone is dancing on the sand.
The transition is so fast it almost gives you whiplash. 🎶
I noticed a specific moment where a guy in the background of the beach scene is trying to fix his swim trunks and he looks directly at the camera for a split second. It’s these little mistakes that make these old movies feel more real than the polished stuff today.
It’s definitely more lively than A Midnight Bell, mostly because everyone is in a bathing suit instead of a dark house.
The whole blackmail plot gets solved so quickly at the end that it feels like the director realized they only had two minutes of film left. Poof, everyone is happy and the bad guys just leave.
I didn't really care about the romance between Peggy and Bill, mostly because Bill is about as interesting as a piece of driftwood. But Peggy is great.
It’s got that same weirdly fast pacing you see in A He-Male Vamp where things just escalate for no reason.
Anyway, it’s a short watch. If you like 1920s fashion and seeing people do the Charleston on a boardwalk, give it a go. 🏖️
Just don't expect the story to stick with you for more than ten minutes after it's over.
IMDb 4
1918
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