"Men Are Such Fools" is a Busby Berkeley comedy that made me so angry I almost drove knitting needles into my eyes just to end the pain. I am a HUGE fan of old movies, I've seen more films from the 30's than most people have seen in their entire lives, and I can safely say this is an absolute disaster. Where do I start?
First, every actor in the movie shouts every line as fast as possible. No, they BARK every line at one another with their Energy levels set to 10 and not an ounce of thought or meaning behind a single delivery. The actors perform so quickly, so intensely, that no scene lasts longer than 45 seconds and the entire movie is over in 69 minutes. Was there cocaine being served on set?
Secondly the absurd plot involves the brutish Wayne Morris trying to convince the adorable Priscilla Lane to marry him by physically abusing and threatening her. He bellows at her endlessly, parking their car in front of an oncoming train and holding her underwater until she almost drowns. According to the up-tempo soundtrack and hyper-speed direction this is all supposed to be hilarious! Personally I don't find spousal abuse to be a toe-tapping, gut-busting chuckle-fest, but that's just me.
The story makes no logical sense, as our buxom and bangable Priscilla adjusts to married life until she one day- for reasons still unclear to me- walks out on her husband just so they can be reunited in the third act. Yuck! Avoid this terrible mess... the soundtrack alone will drive up your blood pressure and give you a headache. All involved have done much better... so will you.
GRADE: F
First, every actor in the movie shouts every line as fast as possible. No, they BARK every line at one another with their Energy levels set to 10 and not an ounce of thought or meaning behind a single delivery. The actors perform so quickly, so intensely, that no scene lasts longer than 45 seconds and the entire movie is over in 69 minutes. Was there cocaine being served on set?
Secondly the absurd plot involves the brutish Wayne Morris trying to convince the adorable Priscilla Lane to marry him by physically abusing and threatening her. He bellows at her endlessly, parking their car in front of an oncoming train and holding her underwater until she almost drowns. According to the up-tempo soundtrack and hyper-speed direction this is all supposed to be hilarious! Personally I don't find spousal abuse to be a toe-tapping, gut-busting chuckle-fest, but that's just me.
The story makes no logical sense, as our buxom and bangable Priscilla adjusts to married life until she one day- for reasons still unclear to me- walks out on her husband just so they can be reunited in the third act. Yuck! Avoid this terrible mess... the soundtrack alone will drive up your blood pressure and give you a headache. All involved have done much better... so will you.
GRADE: F