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5.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Candid Camera remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have twenty minutes and want to see a classic case of "you messed up, now pay for it," then yes. This is for fans of old-school shorts and anyone who likes seeing a smug husband get his comeuppance. If you need big budgets or complex drama, skip it. You will probably hate this if you get annoyed by predictable black-and-white comedy tropes.
The whole thing hinges on a newsreel. It’s funny how a grainy bit of footage on a screen can hold so much power. Poor Mrs. Townes has been begging for a car for years, and her husband Jack just keeps blowing her off. Then, boom. The newsreel shows Jack playing around on the beach with a girl, and the power dynamic just snaps.
The pacing is fast. Like, really fast. There’s no room for deep character studies here, just pure, unadulterated blackmail. It’s almost refreshing how quickly she turns the tables. She doesn't even cry about it. She just sees the footage and goes, 'Okay, I'm getting that car now.'
I noticed a bit of background detail that made me chuckle—the way the extras in the beach scenes act like they’re in a different movie entirely. Half of them are just standing there, looking at the camera like they’ve never seen a lens before. It gives the whole thing this weird, charmingly hollow feeling.
It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Dulcy. Same kind of domestic chaos, though much tighter. And let's be real, the husband's reaction when he realizes he's been caught is priceless. He tries to squirm, but he's already toast.
Is it a masterpiece? No. It’s barely a meal, more like a snack. But sometimes a snack is all you need. The acting is loud, the plot is thin, and the camera work is just... there. It’s not trying to be a deep dive into the human condition, thank goodness. It's just a funny snapshot of a guy getting caught in a lie. 📸
If you're looking for something with the weight of La dame aux camélias, you're looking in the wrong place. But if you want to see a wife finally win a three-year-long argument with a movie camera, this is your ticket. Simple as that.