The Gorgeous Hussy: A Period Piece That Forgets Its Own History

Is it worth your time?

If you are the type who likes old-school Hollywood glam and doesn't mind when the history books get thrown out the window, you will have a good time. If you actually care about Andrew Jackson’s real legacy, or if you prefer movies that don't feel like a parade of fancy hats, you might want to skip this.

Joan Crawford is clearly the only person who knows what movie she is in. She is playing Peggy O'Neal with this fiery, restless energy that makes everyone else look like they are sleepwalking through a museum exhibit. Every time she enters a room, the air changes. Even when the script gives her absolutely nothing to do but look hurt or look determined, she makes it stick.

The whole thing feels a bit like The Glorious Fool in how it desperately wants to be taken seriously while tripping over its own period-accurate lace. There are these long, stuffy scenes in ballrooms where the dialogue is so stiff you could use it to prop up a table. You can practically see the actors waiting for their cues to look scandalized.

I found myself staring at the wallpaper in the background during the third act. It is surprisingly detailed. Why did they spend so much on the wallpaper but write the political intrigue like it’s a high school soap opera? It is a weird disconnect.

James Stewart shows up, and he is just being James Stewart. He looks like he wandered off the set of a much better movie. He is sweet, sure, but he feels like he’s playing a different instrument than everyone else in the orchestra.

The movie really drags whenever Jackson starts giving speeches. It’s supposed to be heavy, I guess, but it feels like the director was trying to fill time between costume changes. There is a moment where a letter is read aloud that goes on for what feels like ten minutes. I checked my watch twice.

Still, there is something charming about the sheer audacity of it all. It is not trying to be The President in terms of accuracy, that’s for sure. It’s just trying to be a vehicle for Crawford’s star power. It succeeds there, at least.

• The dresses are honestly incredible.
• Lionel Barrymore looks like he is having a nap in half his scenes.
• The ending is so abrupt I thought my connection dropped.
• If you like watching people get offended by tea parties, you are in for a treat.

It is not a masterpiece. It is barely even a good history lesson. But watching Joan Crawford try to carry a whole room on her shoulders? That’s worth the price of admission on a rainy Tuesday.