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6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Man in Possession remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like fast-talking movies from the 30s where everyone seems a little bit tipsy, then yes. You should definitely watch this if you're a fan of Robert Montgomery being a complete smart-aleck.
But if you hate movies where the plot relies on people being really, really bad at recognizing their own family members, you might want to skip it. 🥃
So, the movie starts with Raymond (Montgomery) getting out of prison and his family is basically like, "Please go away and never come back." He is the black sheep of the family and he seems to really enjoy it.
He gets a job as a bailiff’s assistant, which basically means he has to sit in people's houses until they pay their bills. It's such a weird, old-fashioned job that I had to look it up to make sure it was real.
He gets sent to the house of Crystal Wetherby, played by Irene Purcell. She's in a lot of debt but she’s trying to marry a rich guy to fix her problems.
The twist is that the rich guy is Raymond’s brother, Claude. And of course, Raymond decides to pretend to be the butler so he can watch the whole disaster unfold from the inside. 🍿
Robert Montgomery has this way of looking at people like he knows exactly what they’re thinking, and he thinks it's hilarious. He isn't trying to be a hero; he's just bored and wants to cause trouble.
There is this one scene where he is serving dinner and he keeps making these tiny little comments that drive his brother crazy. I actually laughed out loud when he almost dropped the soup on purpose.
It’s a bit like The Bride's Relations in that way where the family stuff is just super uncomfortable but you can't stop watching.
The dialogue is really sharp, which makes sense because P.G. Wodehouse worked on the script. You can tell because everyone talks in these long, rhythmic sentences that feel like a tennis match.
One thing that felt a bit off was the ending. It happens so fast that I actually had to rewind to make sure I didn't miss a scene. 💨
The movie just kind of decides it’s over because everyone is tired of arguing. It reminds me of the pacing in Ain't Love Grand? where the romance just sort of happens because the runtime is almost up.
There is this strange moment where Raymond is looking through Crystal's things and it feels a little bit creepy, but then he makes a joke and you forget about it. Pre-code movies are always a bit messy like that.
They don't try to make the characters perfect. Raymond is kind of a jerk, and Crystal is basically a con artist, but you still want them to end up together because the brother is so boring.
If you've seen Blow Your Own Horn, you know that 30s movies love a guy who talks his way into trouble. This is the peak version of that trope.
I noticed the sound quality gets a little bit fuzzy during the outdoor scenes. It sounds like they were recording inside a tin can, but it adds to the charm, I guess.
Also, the supporting cast is great. Beryl Mercer plays the mom and she has this confused face that she keeps for the entire movie. I felt bad for her, honestly. 👵
It’s not a masterpiece or anything, but it’s fun. It doesn't take itself seriously at all, which is a relief because a movie about debt and prison could have been really depressing.
Instead, it’s just Robert Montgomery being a menace in a tuxedo. And honestly, that’s all I really wanted from my Tuesday night.
Check it out if you can find it. It's way better than some of the more famous comedies from that year that feel too staged and stiff.
Just don't expect a deep lesson about the human condition. It's just a guy being a fake butler. And that's enough. ✨
IMDb 4.9
1930
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