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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Show-Off remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a high tolerance for characters who never shut up, you might actually get a kick out of The Show-Off. People who get genuinely stressed by second-hand embarrassment should probably stay away, though. It’s a very specific kind of movie that is mostly just watching a guy dig his own grave one sentence at a time.
Spencer Tracy is playing Aubrey, a man who lives entirely in his own head. He lies about being a railroad executive to impress Amy, and honestly, the speed at which she falls for it is kind of wild. You want to reach through the screen and tell her to check his references, but that’s the movie, isn’t it?
There is this one moment where Aubrey is just rattling off nonsense, and you can see the light behind his eyes, but it’s just pure, unfiltered ego. It feels less like a performance and more like being trapped in an elevator with your most annoying cousin. The way he adjusts his tie after lying—it’s such a small, gross detail.
The pacing is a bit all over the place. Sometimes it feels like a stage play that forgot to leave the theater, and other times it’s rushing to get to the next inevitable disaster. It’s not quite as polished as Cleopatra, but it has a messy energy that I found kind of charming in a weird way.
Seeing him walk around with that sandwich board later on? That’s the peak of the film. It’s the visual punchline to every single thing he said for the first hour. It’s hard not to laugh, even if he’s still just as delusional as he was at the start.
It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s definitely not subtle. If you want to see a guy try to fake his way through life and fail spectacularly, this is the one. Just don't expect to walk away feeling like you've seen something profound. You'll just walk away feeling like you need a nap after listening to Aubrey blather on. 🙄