The Rich Are Always with Us: A Divorce Drama That Never Quite Ends

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for 1930s high-society dramas, you’ll probably find something to enjoy here. It’s got that specific sheen of old-school privilege where everyone is constantly sipping cocktails while their hearts are breaking. If you hate talky movies where people just sit in drawing rooms and trade barbs, you’ll likely want to turn this off about twenty minutes in.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) through its definitive frames.

Ruth Chatterton is the main event here. She carries the whole thing with this sort of weary, polished grace. Watching her deal with her ex-husband is honestly exhausting, mostly because the guy is such a vacuum of charisma. He’s the kind of character you want to yell at through the screen.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) through its definitive frames.

Wait, is that Bette Davis?

Yes, she’s in it, and she’s already got that sharp, piercing energy that made her a legend later on. She isn't the lead, but she definitely steals the air in the room whenever she shows up. It’s funny seeing her in these smaller roles before she really hit her stride.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) through its definitive frames.

The dialogue is snappy, though it leans pretty hard into that stylized 1930s rhythm where nobody speaks like a human being. They all speak like they’re waiting for the next cue in a play. It’s not necessarily bad, but it feels very staged.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) through its definitive frames.

• The sets look like they cost more than my entire house.
• The pacing is a bit weird; one moment they're at a party, the next they're in a completely different city.
• There’s a scene involving a fireplace that goes on for way too long.

It’s a bit like watching Paris, but with less of the frantic energy and more pouting. The movie isn't trying to be profound or anything. It’s just showing rich people being miserable in really expensive clothes. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need on a Tuesday night.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) through its definitive frames.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the main plot at one point. There's a guy in the back of the party scene who looks like he’s trying very hard not to laugh. Once you see him, you can't unsee him. 🍸

Is it a classic? Not really. But it’s a decent time capsule. The ending feels rushed, like the writers just decided everyone had suffered enough and wanted to go home. I can't blame them.