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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Unholy Love remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, you might find yourself asking that a few times. Unholy Love is one of those oddball adaptations where the source material feels like it’s being held at arm's length by everyone involved. It tries to be high-brow drama but ends up feeling like a soap opera that someone accidentally filmed with a tripod from 1932. If you love seeing how old Hollywood tried to translate 'literary' feelings into stiff, stagey dialogue, you’ll get a kick out of this.
The whole Rye, New York setting is just… it’s weird. It’s supposed to be this stifling environment, but the sets look like they’re waiting for the actors to finish their lines so they can be packed into a truck. It reminds me a bit of the weird, stilted energy in The Millionaire's Double, where the atmosphere feels more like a prop department warehouse than an actual place.
The main character is clearly bored out of her mind, and sometimes, the movie feels like it’s joining her. There’s a scene about halfway through where she’s just staring out a window while someone talks, and I swear, the camera stays on her face long enough for me to count the dust motes in the air. It’s almost brave how little happens in some of these rooms.
I’ve seen better chemistry in a middle school science project than what we get between the leads here. It’s not that they’re bad actors—they’re just stuck. They're reciting lines that feel like they were translated from French, then back into English, then put through a meat grinder. It’s got that same stiff-upper-lip exhaustion you find in Across to Singapore, where everyone is just trying to make it to the final reel without tripping over their own costumes.
Is it a disaster? Nah. It’s just a curiosity. You watch it for the weird little moments, like when a character walks into a room and delivers a monologue that feels like it belongs in an entirely different genre. If you’re looking for a smooth, polished film, keep walking. If you like seeing the cracks in the foundation of old movies, pull up a chair. 🎞️