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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. What a Life remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Is 'What a Life' worth digging up today? Well, that's a question. If you’re someone who loves old, *really* weird comedies that don't always land but certainly try, then yeah, maybe give it a look. Folks expecting a modern laugh riot or even just a coherent plot might find themselves scratching their heads. It’s definitely not for everyone, bless its heart. 🤷♀️
The whole setup is just… something else. We've got a prison warden, played with this excellent level of barely contained panic by William Irving, trying to keep these snoopy reformers off his back. His big idea? Turn the prison into a summer resort. You heard that right. Not, like, *reform* reform, but a full-on, vacation-themed makeover. Think about that for a second. It's a musical parody, so you know it's going to get goofy.
And it does. The cells get a coat of cheerful paint. They bring in palm trees. I swear there’s a scene where the inmates are doing calisthenics in what looks like Hawaiian shirts. The sheer *commitment* to the bit is almost admirable. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, even as it descends into delightful chaos.
The humor, obviously, is very much of its time. Some of it probably made people chuckle back then. Today, it’s less about the punchlines and more about the sheer audacity of the premise. It’s hard to tell if some of the awkward silences are intentional comedic beats or just… the pacing of an older film.
Virginia Sale pops up, and her deadpan delivery really sells some of the more outlandish moments. She has this way of looking at the camera, like, 'Are you seeing this too?' It’s a nice anchor in all the absurdity. Frank Mills as one of the inmates seems to be having the time of his life, probably because he gets to wear a ridiculous straw hat while doing hard labor, or whatever they call it in a resort prison. He almost seemed too happy to be there.
The songs themselves are… present. They’re part of the package. Don't go in expecting showstoppers, but they do add to the overall feeling of 'what even is this?' One number, I think it was about the joys of 'recreation,' goes on about 20 seconds too long, and the silence afterwards starts to feel awkward rather than emotional. It's a bit much, maybe.
There's this one shot of the warden, Irving, just standing there, looking utterly defeated, surrounded by fake beach props. That image kinda stuck with me. It sums up the whole movie's vibe: someone trying desperately to make a terrible idea work, and the results are just wonderfully, gloriously off-kilter. The crowd scenes have this oddly empty feeling, like half the extras wandered off for a snack. It's little things like that which make you feel like you're watching something very unique.
It’s not a masterpiece, not by a long shot. But it’s an interesting peek into how older comedies handled social commentary, however silly. They took a wild concept and just ran with it, even if they occasionally tripped over their own feet. The film gets noticeably better once it stops trying to explain itself and just leans into the visual gags.
If you're into historical curiosities, or just want to see a prison warden trying to convince a bunch of people that a jail is a great place for a holiday, then 'What a Life' is a strange, *memorable* little watch. It's a genuine head-scratcher, in the best possible way. Definitely not boring.
IMDb 6.1
1924
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