The Naughty Flirt: A Charming (If Stiff) Silent Romp

So, The Naughty Flirt. Is it worth tracking down today? Well, if you’ve got a real soft spot for silent films, especially those from the tail end of the ’20s, you might find some charm here. For anyone expecting snappy dialogue or modern storytelling, honestly, probably not your jam. This one's a gentle stroll into a bygone era of moviemaking, warts and all. 🎬

The whole thing's about Alice White playing this rich, kind of wild young woman named Katherine. She decides she wants a particular lawyer, Stanley. He’s all serious, naturally, a regular stiff. You can pretty much see where this is going from the first five minutes.

Alice White, she’s really the whole show. Her eyes do so much of the talking, especially when she’s being mischievous. Sometimes it's a bit much, like a little too much eyebrow-raising. But it mostly works for the character. Katherine is a whirlwind, you know?

There's a scene at a big party early on. You can tell they really tried to make it look grand, but it feels a little staged. Like the extras were told, 'Okay, now *mingle enthusiastically*!' You just see them kind of moving around without much purpose. Odd.

The lawyer, Stanley, played by Sayre Dearing, he’s just… so stiff. Like, really, really stiff. You almost want to tell him to relax a little, even for a silent film. His big emotional moments are just a slight widening of the eyes or maybe a tiny frown. It makes Katherine’s pursuit feel even more one-sided.

Oh, and Myrna Loy pops up! It's a smaller part, but she has this presence, even then. A flash of what she'd become. It’s always cool to catch glimpses of future stars in these old flicks, even when they're just background window dressing. ⭐

Some of the intertitles felt a bit… on the nose. Like, one reads, 'She knew what she wanted!' Thanks, movie, I think we got that from the last five minutes of longing stares and determined pouts. They sure didn't trust the audience to pick up on subtext back then.

The pacing is definitely of its time. It takes its sweet time setting up things. A moment of reflection can last what feels like an eternity. You just have to lean into it, I guess. If you try to fight it, you'll just get annoyed.

There’s this one shot of a staircase that just *goes on*. It's meant to show the grandeur of Katherine's house, but it just looks like a very long staircase. Not sure what they were going for there, beyond 'look, rich people have big stairs.' 🤷‍♀️

The whole 'rich girl wants something she can't have' trope. It’s classic, sure. But here, it’s played with such earnestness you almost forget how often it's been done. Almost. The earnestness is kind of the charm, too.

Sometimes a reaction shot lingers so long you start to wonder if the projectionist fell asleep. Then the next frame hits and you realize, no, that was intentional. It's a real test of patience, and sometimes, it just becomes funny.

The ending feels a little rushed after all that build-up. Like they suddenly realized they were running out of film. Or maybe just ran out of ideas for how to wrap up the *flirting* in a satisfying way. It just sort of… happens.

Didja Notice?

• That one guy in the background of the party scene, his hat kept slipping.
• The way Katherine taps her foot when she’s impatient? Very specific.
• Every time someone leaves a room, the door closes with such *finality*.
• Stanley's desk. It's so uncluttered. No one actually works at a desk that clean.
• There’s a small dog in one scene. It does nothing important. Just a dog. 🐶
• The way the light hits Katherine’s hair in some close-ups is really quite nice. They knew how to make a star shine, even with limited tech.