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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you are looking for something to watch tonight that feels like a dusty theater attic, The Love Habit is a decent bet. It is definitely for people who enjoy those old British comedies where everyone talks slightly too fast and moves like they are on a sugar high. 🍭
If you hate over-the-top stage acting or movies where the plot could be solved by one normal conversation, you will probably want to skip this one. It is very much a product of its time.
The whole thing stars Seymour Hicks as Justin. He is basically a stalker, but because it is 1933, we are supposed to find his persistence charming. He follows a woman home, finds out she is married, and then decides to become her husband's valet. It is a very weird plan.
I found myself watching Hicks' face a lot. He has this way of bugging his eyes out that makes him look like he’s constantly being surprised by a loud noise. It is a lot of energy for one movie. 🤨
The real reason to even click play on this is Elsa Lanchester. She is just... different. Even in a minor role here, she has this spark that makes everyone else look like they are reading off a grocery list. She plays the maid, and honestly, the movie should have just been about her.
There is a scene early on where the dialogue just keeps going and going. I actually checked the time because I thought I had missed a scene change. But no, they were just still in the same room, talking about the same thing. 🕰️
The movie feels very similar to Seven Days Leave in that sort of stilted, early-talkie way. Everything is a bit clunky. The sound quality isn't great, which actually makes the shouting matches even more chaotic.
I noticed that the sets look like they would fall over if someone leaned too hard on a doorframe. It adds to the charm, I guess. It feels very live, like the actors were worried about forgetting their lines and just pushed through with pure adrenaline.
The husband character, played by Edmund Breon, is the typical oblivious guy. You kind of feel bad for him, but also he is so gullible that you sort of want Hicks to succeed in his crazy valet scheme. It is a weird emotional tug-of-war.
One moment that really stood out was a wide shot where a character walks into a room and you can clearly see them waiting for their cue in the shadows. It is these little human mistakes that make these old films feel more real than the polished stuff we get now.
The script was co-written by Hicks himself. You can tell. He gave himself all the best lines, even if they aren't actually that funny. It’s like a vanity project that somehow got a budget.
If you have seen The Reunion, you know how these ensemble comedies can get messy. This one is less messy but way more frantic. It’s like everyone is drinking way too much coffee behind the scenes. ☕
The ending is... well, it’s an ending. It wraps up exactly how you think it would if you have ever seen a French farce. No surprises here. Just a lot of people standing in a line looking relieved that the movie is over.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Not even close. But it is a fascinating look at what passed for a "rom-com" nearly a hundred years ago. It’s also just fun to see actors who were clearly trained for the stage try to figure out where the camera is.
I’d say give it a shot if you’re bored and want to see some vintage chaos. Just don't expect it to change your life. It’s more like a weird snack you find in the back of the pantry. You aren't sure if you like it, but you keep eating anyway. 🤷♂️
The way the characters move in the background is often more interesting than the main action. Watch the extras. They look like they are having a very confusing day at work.
Final thought: Seymour Hicks really liked his own jokes. Like, really liked them. You can almost hear him waiting for the laugh track that isn't there.
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