The Reckless Way: Fame is a weird drug

Should you bother?

Honestly, you probably only watch The Reckless Way if you’re deep into the archives or just have a thing for those 1930s dramas where everyone talks like they’re in a play. It’s a simple story about a girl who lands a modeling gig and suddenly thinks she’s the center of the universe. If you like classic domestic squabbles, you’ll dig it. If you’re looking for something with actual stakes, you’ll probably be bored halfway through.

Marian Nixon carries a lot of this on her shoulders. She does that thing where she tries to look both innocent and incredibly ambitious at the same time, which is harder than it sounds. Her boyfriend is basically the classic wet blanket. He’s just standing there, looking grumpy in almost every single scene he’s in.

The vibe

There is this one moment where she’s getting all this press, and you can tell the camera crew really wanted us to focus on the vanity of it all. But honestly? The lighting is so flat it looks like they filmed it in a department store hallway. It’s weirdly charming, in a budget-conscious sort of way. You don’t get that kind of simplicity in movies today.

It reminds me a bit of the tension in The Good Bad Girl, where the social climbing feels more like a survival tactic than just being mean. But here, it’s mostly just people bickering over dinner. The pacing is a bit of a mess, honestly. Some scenes drag on while you’re waiting for someone to actually say something worth hearing.

• The outfits are genuinely fun to look at, even if they’re a bit stiff.
• The boyfriend’s constant frowning is actually kind of funny after a while.
• There’s a scene in a studio that feels like it was put together with cardboard and good intentions.

I caught myself looking at the background extras more than the leads for a solid five minutes. One guy in the back of the studio scene is clearly just standing there holding a prop like he’s never seen a camera in his life. It’s those little hiccups that make these old movies feel real, I guess. 🎞️

It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It’s just a movie about a couple who probably shouldn't be dating in the first place. Sometimes that’s enough to keep you watching until the credits roll, even if you’re mostly just waiting for the drama to actually boil over.