Edward G. Robinson plays two people and it's actually funny

Is it worth your time?

If you like those snappy 1930s screwball comedies where people talk really fast and everyone is constantly confused, you’ll dig this. If you need explosions or a movie that treats its premise like a gritty tragedy, keep walking. It's a sweet, weird little film that feels like a warm-up for better things, but it’s got a great engine.

Edward G. Robinson is playing both the meek clerk and the stone-cold killer, and honestly, he’s having a blast with it. You can tell he loves the switch. One minute he's stammering over a typewriter, the next he's snarling at a henchman.

The vibe

There’s this one scene in the office where the clerks are just… hovering. It’s incredibly dry. It’s the kind of background noise that reminds you of The Expectant Father, just pure mid-30s studio filler. But then Jean Arthur shows up. She’s the only person in this town who seems to know what year it is.

She’s got this way of looking at Robinson like he’s a lost puppy, even when he’s playing the guy who’s definitely going to rob a bank. It’s a nice touch.

• The dialogue is sharp, but sometimes it hits you like a brick.
• The police chief is just a loud mustache in a suit.
• That hat trick with the double-exposure is surprisingly decent for 1935.

I found myself wondering if this would’ve worked better as a straight thriller. There’s a nastiness to the killer character that feels a bit too big for the movie’s breezy tone. Every time he pulls a gun, the lighting gets all dramatic, and then we’re back to the office shenanigans.

It’s uneven, yeah. Some of the supporting cast are clearly just there to fill space in the frame. But when Robinson is on screen, you don’t really care about the plot holes.

Maybe it’s not as polished as The Misleading Lady, but it has heart. It’s a movie about being someone you aren’t, which is basically what acting is, right? A bit meta, if you want to be fancy about it. I’d rather just say it’s a fun way to kill an hour and a half.

Note: The way he adjusts his glasses when he’s the killer is pure genius. Don’t blink or you’ll miss the tiny shift in his eyes. 🕵️‍♂️