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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Girl Habit remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, yeah, if you have seventy minutes to kill and you like watching people panic in black and white. It’s perfect for a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard. 🌧️
If you hate old-timey stage plays where people scream their lines and slam doors every five minutes, you will probably want to throw your remote at the wall. This is a movie for people who find anxiety funny.
I sat down with this one because I’ve been on a bit of a kick with early 1930s stuff lately. It’s got that weird, crunchy sound quality where every footstep sounds like someone breaking a dry cracker. 🍪
Charlie Ruggles is the lead here. He plays Charlie Hunt. He has this 'habit' of falling for every woman he sees. It’s not really a deep character study. He’s just a bit of a goofball who can’t help himself.
The whole plot kicks off because he flirts with the wrong woman. Her husband is a gangster. Naturally, the only logical solution Charlie can find is to get the police to lock him up. It’s such a dumb plan, but Ruggles sells it with his face.
He has this way of making his eyes go wide and his mustache twitch that makes him look like a very stressed-out owl. 🦉 I spent a good five minutes just watching how he adjusts his tie when he's nervous. It’s those little physical things that make these old movies work for me.
There is a scene in a hotel lobby that just goes on and on. It’s chaotic. People are running in and out of rooms. It reminded me a little bit of What Happened to Jones but with more yelling since they finally had microphones.
Margaret Dumont shows up too. She’s famous for being the straight woman in all those Marx Brothers movies. Here, she’s doing her usual thing—being tall, regal, and completely unimpressed by the nonsense around her. She has this way of looking at Charlie like he’s a bug she’d rather not step on. 🐛
I noticed this one extra in the background of the nightclub scene. He’s wearing a tuxedo that clearly doesn't fit him. The sleeves are way too long. He’s trying to look suave while sipping a drink, but he looks like a kid playing dress-up. I love finding stuff like that. It feels more real than the polished stuff we get now.
The pacing is a bit of a mess. It starts fast, then there’s a long stretch in the middle where they just talk about the plan. And talk. And talk. 🗣️
I almost checked my phone during the scene in the office. It felt like they were waiting for someone to remember their next line. But then Donald Meek shows up. I love Donald Meek. He’s always playing these tiny, timid men who look like they’re made of glass.
He adds this weird energy to the movie. It’s like he’s in a completely different film than everyone else. While Charlie is screaming, Donald is just... vibrating with fear. It’s great.
You can see a very young Paulette Goddard in this too. She doesn't have a huge role, but you can tell she’s going to be a star. She has this light behind her eyes that the rest of the cast is missing. 🌟
The movie is based on a play, and you can really tell. Most of it happens in just a couple of rooms. Sometimes the camera just sits there and watches them talk. It’s not exactly 'cinematic,' but it’s cozy in a weird way. Like watching a high-school play with a massive budget.
One thing that bugged me was the music. Or the lack of it. Early sound movies are so quiet. When nobody is talking, there’s just this hiss. It makes the silences feel way more awkward than they were probably meant to be.
There’s a bit where Charlie tries to punch a cop. It’s the most pathetic punch I’ve ever seen on screen. He basically just taps the guy’s shoulder and then looks disappointed when he doesn't get arrested. 👮♂️
It’s a bit like A Bird in the Hand where the comedy comes from just how much the main guy can mess up his own life in an hour. It’s frustrating but also kinda relatable if you’ve ever had a bad day where nothing goes right.
I wouldn't call this a masterpiece. It’s not. It’s a distraction. But sometimes a distraction is exactly what you need. It’s better than Ice Cold Cocos, mostly because Ruggles is just more likable as a lead.
The ending feels rushed. Like they realized they only had five minutes of film left and needed to wrap everything up. Suddenly, everything is fine, the gangster is gone, and everyone is happy. It doesn't make much sense, but by that point, you’re just happy the screaming stopped. 😂
I did like the suit Charlie wears in the second act. It’s got these massive lapels. Very 1931. I wonder if people actually dressed like that or if it was just for the movies. It looks heavy. I bet he was sweating under those studio lights.
Overall, it’s a fun relic. It’s got that pre-code energy where the jokes are a little dirtier than you’d expect for something from the thirties. Not 'scandalous' by today’s standards, but you can see the wink and the nudge. 😉
If you're looking for deep meaning, go watch something else. If you want to see a man try to go to prison because he's scared of his girlfriend's husband, this is your movie.
It’s a bit like Mary Ellen Comes to Town in how it handles the 'small town person in the big city' energy, even though Charlie isn't exactly from a small town. He just acts like he’s never seen a building before. 🏢
Anyway, check it out if it pops up on a streaming service or a dusty DVD bin. It’s a decent way to spend an hour. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It's just a movie about a guy with a bad habit. 🤷♂️
IMDb 6.6
1929
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