HandsomeBen Reviews

20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932)

meh

[4/10 · 19 January 2024]

I usually love prison movies from this time period, but this one did not win me over all the way. The beginning was good and the most stand out scene in the whole film was the prison escape attempt. So much tension and edge of your seat suspense. After that scene unfortunately all the interesting characters got taken out. Then we were left with a romance mixed with drama, and a bond between the main character and the warren. Which i knew the story would be mainly about, but it lost steam early on. The last 30 seconds you realize this won't have a happy ending and that was when the movie picked up again, and then credits rolled. The only way i would recommend this is for the escape scene alone. That alone could have made a nice short story.

The Mummy (1932)

2 stars for the opening

[2/10 · 11 January 2024]

Trying really hard not to compare this to the 1999 remake. The opening was actually really promising, and eerie, without being violent or action packed. Just the suspense and pacing and good acting brought so much tension. I was excited for the rest, unfortunately that was the only good part of the movie. The rest is very drab and the leading lady is 1 dimensional. Why should i care if she's brought to safety. I also didn't like the casting of the mummy. The guy looks too much like Frankenstein's monster and it was distracting. It was the monster in mummy attire, it didn't look right. The story overall wasn't interesting. Should have just stuck with the 3 men in the beginning.

Central Park (1932)

the lion was the star

[3/10 · 6 January 2024]

I didn't much care for this movie until the lion was introduced, and that's because i usually don't like gangster/mob films. The most interesting character in this was the insane guy who locked the man up in the cage, and the lion itself. Both these characters brought the movie to life, and i wish it had been the center of the whole film, it was like two movies mashed into one, but i was only interested in the latter. I honestly thought the two story lines would intertwine towards the end, and it would make sense but it never did. We don't even get another look at smiley, just a brief mention of him towards the end to wrap up the story quickly. Lackluster. And i felt sorry for the lion. Shouldn't be in a cage like that anyway. The lion deserved a happy ending.

A Farewell to Arms (1932)

not romantic

[4/10 · 5 January 2024]

This movie is not romantic or sweet, and actually starts out with a r*pe scene. Through out the movie i often wondered would she had been that attached to him so quickly had she not been a virgin? When they first meet and he tries to make a move on her she clearly doesn't want to/isn't ready to go that far, and says no several times and slaps him. He backs away and then makes another move towards her but this time doesn't stop, and afterwards she has tears running down her face, and is delirious. This sets the tone for the whole film and i never rooted for them to be together. It was sad she settled for him because it was her first time and she had obvious stockholm syndrome.

No More Orchids (1932)

glad i didn't turn it off

[4/10 · 1 January 2024]

One of those movies that seemed to have a predictable ending so i almost turned it off because i grew bored of the story. The storyline revolving around the character bill and him butting heads with cedric over money was the most intriguing part of the movie. If it wasn't for that i would have given up completely, and it would have been another generic romantic drama, although without this romantic drama, the character bill would not have had as much of an impact. This story took a dark turn towards the end, and the film won me over. Getting into spoilers, i was hoping bill would fake his own death, since he mentioned he would be at the wedding, but sadly no.

A Strange Adventure (1932)

wow

[2/10 · 31 December 2023]

Horror movies during this time seem to always have the same plotline. A group of people in one house get picked off one by one, due to some money, jewels or inheritance. The beginning was very engaging, and the old man, who everyone was waiting to die, so they could see the will, was the best part about this, and made the rest of the film promising. Unfortunately as soon as his character is done away with the rest of the movie followed along with him. And now we're left with bland characters, and a generic monotone detective. There were bright spots when it came to the use of shadows. It was only an hour long so i didn't turn it off, the saving grace was the chase scene at the end.

You Said a Mouthful (1932)

cute

[5/10 · 31 December 2023]

I almost couldn't get into this movie and probably would have turned it off it wasn't for the little boy sam. I thought he was adorable and his dynamic with the leading man was cute and charming, despite the racist imaginary on the movie cover, and how they made sam talk compared to his white counterparts. Also glad he had actual things to do to move the plot forward, instead of being a mascot or a pet. The ending is also adorable. And the film as a whole is watchable and family friendly. It could have been shorter, the beginning should have been more condensed and more to the point. It was more entertaining towards the middle and end when the stakes were high.

If I Had a Million (1932)

it was ok

[4/10 · 31 December 2023]

This movie was ok but wish it was better, or at least shorter. It's almost like an anthology movie about an old man who randomly gives 1 million dollars to various people. And we end up getting a peak at their lives, some are more depressing than others. It's a mixture of drama and comedy. Like all anthology films some stories are better than others. I preferred the stories with darker elements like the guy who tried to pull a scam at the bank, or the other man who was on death row. The more comedic stories were underwhelming, especially the ones focused on elderly people. Those ended up dragging.

Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)

weird

[5/10 · 29 December 2023]

A very interesting and bizarre viewing experience. At first i felt bad for the homeless man when he loses his dog, i could almost relate to losing my pet, luckily i found her later. I could also relate to being treated like a walking disease by strangers, when all you want is some basic assistance. You get a nasty incite as to what pretty privilege looks like. The movie is entertaining for the most part, because it takes a weird turn and you suddenly get a glimpse into what the homeless man is about. He's obviously dealing with untreated mental illness, which causes his behavior to be a nuisance to others. He even sexually harasses a maid, and SA's another woman, but given the time period the movie plays it off like it's one big joke. The ending was odd and so random and rushed.

Fanny (1932)

wasn't needed

[5/10 · 26 December 2023]

This movie wasn't needed. I liked the first 1931 movie it ended perfectly with Marcius sailing away. In my eyes the lead character took charge of his life, and followed his dreams, and didn't let anyone else's wants get in his way. I never was fond of the fanny character. She irritated more in this movie than the last, if that were even possible. In this movie him doing what made him happy was thrown back in his face, by his scatter brained lover who can't seem to make up her mind. I hated his father as well. I understood this was a different time, and why they did what they did, but these characters are selfish. And it was really messed up.

Sidewalks of New York (1931)

strange

[3/10 · 6 December 2022]

The first 20 minutes are very good. It was very funny and had likeable characters, even if they were suppose to be unsavory. I couldn't wait to see how this would develop. It ended up going downhill during the boxing scene. That lasted way too long and i had the urge to skip through it. Then the movie takes a drastic turn and we're introduced to criminals who have a boy working their jobs with them. This was a strange creative choice. The comedy never blended well with the criminal storyline. It felt like two different movies crammed into one and it never felt organic. Plus the black face was jarring, random and disturbing.

Pardon Us (1931)

weak

[1/10 · 17 November 2022]

I'm not a fan of these two comedians, and even more so after watching this......... the first 30 minutes were a snooze fest and i almost turned it off. Almost 40 minutes in, not only are we introduced to a weak story line, and lackluster comedy, but we have the pleasure of witnessing happy go lucky slaves picking cotton and singing. As if the movie couldn't get any worse, we also got a touch of black face (which i saw coming smh). Just another reason to dislike these two. The only saving grace were the other prisoner characters, their antics and trying to escape were entertaining, and the only thing that kept me from turning it off. I was rooting for them at the end.

East of Borneo (1931)

jungle

[4/10 · 11 November 2022]

The only thing i liked about this were the animals. The story itself is not original. A love triangle involving jealousy and control. Yawn...... seen it a million times. I went into this thinking it would have more mystery since this was about a woman trying to find out what happened to her husband. The outcome was revealed very early on, and that was disappointing. It then became a romantic threesome drama. Granted it was a forced romance. The only thing interesting was the wildlife, and the menacing animals. I wish the film had focused more on that survival in the jungle and escaping terrifying animals.

Broadminded (1931)

not bad

[5/10 · 11 November 2022]

This was not bad at all. I was able to sit through it with ease. The first movie i've seen of joe e brown where he wasn't unbearable. I usually do not find him funny, but rather obnoxious and grating. The beginning with him dressed as a baby was rough, and did not know if i would be able to sit through it. Thankfully the rest of the movie picks up, and i liked the comedy and story. I got a couple of chuckles, and the pacing was good. It ended when it needed to, and it was typical and cute. I do think the south american guy side plot was rushed. Probably would not watch it again but worth seeing at least once.

Remote Control (1930)

yuck

[1/10 · 31 May 2022]

I know this is a product of it's time but i couldn't help but feel creeped out by the man who wouldn't take no for an answer. He stalked this woman even after it was clear, several times, that she was revolted by him. And then she suddenly cares about him in the end? Makes no sense, i would have been like good riddance.

Fast and Loose (1930)

no

[3/10 · 28 May 2022]

I know this movie is a product of it's time but the way this guy treats her is horrible, and the ending is not romantic at all. Was hoping she would come to her senses.

Feet First (1930)

good

[5/10 · 26 May 2022]

The best parts were with the lead character getting into mishaps. The comedy was surprisingly good, and each joke felt fresh. Most funny movies don't have any effect on me. I didn't care for the romance or his love interest. The story was kinda blah. She was very one dimensional, almost like they put no effort into giving her a personality. She was just motivation to move the story along. Everything with the lead and his interactions with minor characters were great. The last 15 minutes were funny but so stressful to watch hahaha.

Scarlet Pages (1930)

meh

[3/10 · 20 May 2022]

Starts off good but last 20 minutes were a misfire. Handles a heavy topic about adoption in a shallow and rushed way. Two dimensional ending. Barely felt any emotional depth.

Du Barry, Woman of Passion (1930)

decent

[6/10 · 18 May 2022]

My favorite moments were madam du barry's random out bursts, and how outspoken she was. The costumes were very pretty, and the story was engaging enough. The ending confused me, did they die together?

Liliom (1930)

hmm

[6/10 · 16 May 2022]

Strange how any woman can fall for this guy. He was neither charming, likeable, or anything but rude and awful. He didn't even ease into his abusive ways. Hopefully the mother doesn't pass on her low self esteem to the daughter. The ending was tragic, mistaking someone trying to cause you pain, for love.

Madam Satan (1930)

trash

[5/10 · 13 May 2022]

Entertaining movie, but the whole time i wanted to reach through the screen and shake the heck out of angela for having no respect for herself. You get with your husband who bounces from one woman to the next, the moment a better offer comes along, and that's suppose to be a happy ending?

The Chinese Bungalow (1930)

better

[5/10 · 11 May 2022]

Better than expected. Wasn't clear on what the plot was going in, but I was intrigued at the idea of seeing an interracial couple in the 1930s. I was disappointed when I found out it was just a white man in yellow face. The movie starts off slow but gets better in the second half when we find out the husband is crazy. The ending is predictable.

The Big House (1930)

holds up well

[7/10 · 3 March 2022]

I knew from the first scene that this would be a gem. I love this genre from black n white movies. It's very suspenseful and the performances and pacing had me on the edge. It also didn't play out how I thought it would. It makes you believe one person is going to be the one you root for until the end, but they end up being the very person that screws everyone over and they become unlikeable. My only real issue was the casting. Chester and Robert look too much alike, to where I kept thinking one was the other.

Shadow of the Law (1930)

tragic

[5/10 · 2 March 2022]

Imagine saving a woman and this same woman double crosses you and blackmails you, after you're accused of something you didn't do. The ending was rushed, i wanted to see the look on her face when she finally faced justice. Evil woman.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

impressive

[7/10 · 24 February 2022]

Didn't know if i was going to like this or not. I'm not usually into war films. The things they were able to do with acting, storytelling, and cinematography in 1930s shows most of the movies around that time didn't reach potential. The ending was very sad. I liked the movie from beginning to end, it's well paced and gripped me right away, but I wasn't invested in any characters until the second half, when we zero in on one particular person and follow their journey. Before then we just see a bunch of soldiers and all the suffering they go through, which was bad enough. It becomes a tear jerker when you get to know them up close and personal.