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5.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Today We Live remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old black-and-white dramas with a heavy dose of tragic romance, you might find something to like here. If you’re looking for a tight, logical plot, you are going to be annoyed by how fast the movie jumps through its own narrative hoops.
Joan Crawford is in this, and that’s usually enough for some people. But for others, the stiff dialogue and the bizarre shift from a love triangle to a war movie will feel like whiplash. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely weirdly watchable.
The first half is all about this polite, strained competition for Crawford’s character. Then, suddenly, we’re in the middle of WWI, and the tone does a complete 180. It’s like the writers realized they needed more explosions, so they just shoved the characters into a trench.
There’s a scene early on where the two men are talking, and it feels so stagey I thought I was watching a play in someone's basement. It’s not necessarily bad, but it’s uncomfortable. You can almost see the actors trying to figure out where to put their hands.
It’s nowhere near as strange or fun as something like He Who Gets Slapped, which really leans into its own insanity. Here, they try to play it straight, which honestly makes the flaws stick out more. It’s like they wanted to be serious, but the script just wasn't interested in being serious with them.
I found myself wondering if they even liked each other during the filming of the love scenes. There is a total lack of spark that is supposed to be the entire engine of the movie. It just sort of... hangs there. 🎞️
Honestly, the best parts are when they aren't talking. When the movie just shows the planes or the ships, it has a weird, quiet dignity. Once the talking starts again, the magic kind of evaporates into the air. It’s a bit like watching a classic, but one that has been left out in the sun too long.
Maybe it’s worth a watch if you’re a completionist for this era of film. Otherwise, you’re not missing a masterpiece. It’s just... there.
IMDb 6
1931
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