That's Gratitude: A Lesson in Being a Terrible Houseguest

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies from the 1930s where the dialogue snaps faster than a rubber band, sure. You'll probably dig it if you find smug, loud characters kind of charming in a train-wreck way. If you hate people who talk over others or think theater-kid energy is exhausting, skip this one. It's not for everyone, honestly.

Bob Grant is the kind of guy who would steal your lighter and then complain that it's out of fluid. He enters the Maxwell home like he owns the place, and watching the family try to be polite while he takes over their living room is genuinely painful. It reminded me a bit of the suffocating, uninvited presence you see in Boudu Saved from Drowning, though with way less water and way more ego.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of That's Gratitude (1934) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is weird. It starts as this weird, claustrophobic comedy of manners. Then, suddenly, it shifts gears into this Pygmalion-lite transformation story that feels like it belongs in a totally different film. It’s jarring. Almost like the writers got bored halfway through and decided to just start over.

Small things I noticed:

• The way the Maxwell family just accepts this stranger living there is baffling. I’d have changed the locks by day two.
• The lighting in the living room scenes makes everyone look perpetually sweaty.
• Dora’s transformation feels less like a character arc and more like a costume change.
• There is a moment where Frank Craven looks directly into the camera lens for a split second. I’m sure it was an accident, but it’s haunting.

There's a scene near the end that’s supposed to be this big, emotional turning point where he finally does something nice for the girl. It just felt hollow to me. He's doing it for himself, to prove he still has the touch. He’s a total creep, but the movie keeps trying to tell us he’s actually a genius who just needs a stage. It’s like watching someone trip over their own shoelaces and pretend it was a dance move.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of That's Gratitude (1934) through its definitive frames.

If you’ve seen Speed 'Em Up, you might recognize the vibe of someone trying to hustle their way through life without ever actually working. Bob Grant is just that guy, but with a tuxedo. 🎩

I left the movie feeling like I needed to scrub my brain. It’s not bad, exactly, but it leaves a film of dust on your soul. Watching people be polite to a jerk for ninety minutes is a special kind of endurance test. But hey, the singing isn't bad.