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6.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. When Ladies Meet remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Should you watch When Ladies Meet? If you are into 1930s dialogue that moves at the speed of a caffeinated squirrel, absolutely. If you get bored by people sitting in armchairs talking about morals while holding a cocktail, you will probably want to turn it off after twenty minutes. It is basically a stage play that decided to be a movie, and it doesn't mind showing its roots.
Myrna Loy is, as usual, the best thing on screen. She plays Mary with this specific kind of wide-eyed sincerity that makes you forget she is writing a book about breaking up a marriage. It is funny how she thinks she is being so bold and modern. Then you have Alice Brady, who is just doing the most. Every time she enters a room, the movie wakes up a little bit more. 🍸
The whole thing hinges on a lie, which is fine, but the movie takes forever to get to the point where the two women actually meet. When they finally do? It is surprisingly quiet. There is no screaming. No hair-pulling. Just a lot of very pointed staring.
I found myself noticing the wallpaper more than once. The sets feel very lived in, in a way that feels like a studio backlot trying to look like a Connecticut estate. It works, though. The vibe is very “let's sit here and dissect every feeling we have ever had.”
It is not as sharp as Duck Soup, obviously, but it has its own rhythm. It reminded me a bit of the domestic messiness you see in A Thrilling Romance, just with more cigarettes and better dresses. Sometimes the movie feels like it is trying too hard to be sophisticated, especially when the characters start debating the 'modern woman' and her place in the world.
Honestly, the best parts are the quiet ones. When the characters stop trying to be clever and just look at each other. There is a moment near the end where the tension finally breaks, and it feels real for a second. Then, someone starts talking again. 🙄
It is a light watch. Don't expect to have your life changed. Just expect to see some very talented people try to make sense of a situation that they probably should have just walked away from in the first place.
IMDb 5.6
1932
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