Violets in Spring: An Office Experiment Gone Weird

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school, slightly neurotic workplace comedies that don't take themselves too seriously, you’ll probably find something to enjoy here. It’s a short, punchy watch. If you hate movies where someone thinks they know what's best for everyone else, you might want to skip it. Willie is, frankly, kind of a menace.

The whole premise is weird. Willie the janitor is taking night classes in psychology and decides he’s basically an expert on human emotion. He looks at this carpet company and sees a bunch of robots. Honestly, I’ve worked in offices like that, so I get his vibe. But his solution? Messing with people's lives to force them to fall in love. It’s a bold strategy.

The Office Dynamic

The core of the movie is Charlie and Mary, two clerks who have sat next to each other for four years without a real conversation. That level of professional distance is almost impressive. It feels like a precursor to the kind of stiff, overly formal energy you see in films like A Nine O'Clock Town.

Willie is constantly lurking in the background. He’s sweeping floors, but he’s really just observing everyone like a scientist watching fruit flies. There’s something a little bit creepy about it, but also kind of charming in a mid-century way. You just don't see movies about janitors playing puppet master anymore.

Oddly Specific Notes

• The lighting in that office is so bright it makes everyone look a little bit panicked.
• The way Charlie and Mary stare at their papers is actually kind of funny after you realize they’ve been doing it for four years.
• George Murphy really sells the "I know better than you" attitude.
• The pacing is frantic. It’s like the movie is afraid you’re going to walk away if it slows down for even a second.

It’s not perfect. The dialogue gets a little repetitive, and sometimes the "psychology" bits feel like they were written by someone who read a single pamphlet on the topic. Still, it’s got a weird energy. It reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in It Pays to Advertise. Just a group of people doing things way too fast for their own good.

I don't think this will change your life. It’s not some grand statement on the human condition. It’s just a weird, fun hour of film. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need on a Tuesday night. 🎞️