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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Gay Bride remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you are a massive Carole Lombard completionist. If you want a sharp, cynical look at the 1930s, go watch something else. Anyone expecting a tight script will probably hate it. It's a bit of a slog, even with Lombard doing her best to inject some life into a script that feels like it was written on a napkin.
Lombard is the only reason this thing stays upright. She plays Mary Magin with this exhausting, frantic energy. You can see her trying to find the joke in scenes where there just isn't one.
The whole bootlegger plot feels like it’s from a completely different movie. One minute we're supposed to care about mob stakes, the next we're watching a standard romantic triangle. It never really commits to being mean-spirited or lighthearted.
It reminds me a little of the vibe in Tea: With a Kick!, where the tone shifts so violently it gives you whiplash. The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to pretend these people have any morals at all.
There is a moment where Lombard walks across the room, and for three seconds, you get a glimpse of a much better movie. Then, someone else starts talking, and the spell breaks. It’s that kind of experience. 🙄
It feels like someone took a bunch of leftover scripts and stapled them together. None of the motivations make sense. Why is she staying with these guys? I still don't know.
The ending feels rushed, like the studio realized they were over budget and just decided to wrap it up in the next five minutes. It’s not profound, it’s not really a masterpiece, but it’s definitely something you watch when you want to see a star carry a wreck on her back.
Maybe skip it unless it's a rainy Tuesday and you've already seen everything else on your list.