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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you like movies that feel like they were dug up from a time capsule and don't mind a lot of silence, then yeah, give it a go.
But if you need things to happen every five minutes to stay awake, you are going to absolutely hate this one.
The Fixer (1929) is a strange little beast from that awkward year when movies were trying to figure out if they wanted to talk or just keep quiet.
Malcolm Sebastian plays the main guy, and honestly, he has one of those faces that looks like it was carved out of an old boot.
He doesn't do much. He just... fixes things.
There is this one scene where he is sitting in a dark office waiting for a phone to ring that goes on for about three minutes too long.
You can see the dust floating in the light from the window. It is oddly calming, even though he is supposed to be waiting for a hitman or something.
It’s definitely got more teeth than something like Sea Scamps, which felt like it was made for toddlers.
I found myself focusing on the way Sebastian holds his cigarettes.
He smokes like he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s breathing.
The movie doesn't have the high-energy vibe of Flaming Youth, but it has this heavy, damp atmosphere that stays with you.
It’s almost like the director forgot he was making a movie and thought he was just spying on a real criminal.
The sets are incredibly sparse. It’s mostly just a desk, a chair, and a lot of very deep shadows.
I think I saw a fly land on the lens around the 40-minute mark. Nobody bothered to edit it out, or maybe they just didn't notice back then.
It’s these little mistakes that make me like it more. It feels human.
If you’ve seen A Wall Street Tragedy, you’ll recognize the same kind of grim outlook on life.
But Sebastian is much more interesting to watch than the leads in that one.
He has this twitch in his left eye whenever someone mentions the police. It’s so subtle you might miss it if you aren't looking.
The plot is kind of thin, if I'm being honest. He gets a job, he does the job, and things go sideways.
It’s not trying to be Is Conan Doyle Right? with a bunch of big ideas about the afterlife or whatever.
It’s just about a guy trying to survive a very long Tuesday.
I liked the ending, even though it felt like they ran out of film. It just... stops.
No big explosion. No huge speech. Just a door closing and the screen going black.
It’s much better than the over-dramatic stuff in The Fighting Marine.
I watched this on a grainy bootleg, and I think that actually helped the experience.
The scratches on the film made the dark alleys look even more dangerous. 🎞️
One reaction shot of a woman in a hallway lingers so long it starts to feel like a portrait rather than a movie.
She doesn't even blink. It’s actually kind of creepy.
I wonder if Malcolm Sebastian knew this would be one of the few things people remembered him for.
He’s got this heavy presence that makes the rest of the cast look like they are made of paper.
Anyway, if you find a copy, don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a very moody, very quiet hour of a guy looking at doors.
It's definitely more interesting than Flashing Spurs, though that isn't saying much.
Sometimes the best movies are the ones that don't try too hard to impress you. 🚬
IMDb —
1921
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