6u532b

This review may contain spoilers.

"Ladies They Talk About" is one of those classic old romances where the male lead (Preston Foster) simply refuses to fuck off, even when the object of his affection literally shooting him in the arm after he put her in prison. As per usual, the female lead (Barbara Stanwyck) gives in and marries him, despite having leagues more chemistry with her "gal pal" (Lillian Roth). There was a very specific cadence to the overacting in this movie, and a very specific amount of high i was when i watched it, that made it feel like i was looking through a window to the past and watching, not the production, but the verve and personality of the young actors performing it- there's a joy especially to Stanwyck's performance despite there being only a negligible difference in cadence between "Nan having a conversation" and "Nan telling an obvious fib while winking copiously at the camera".
There's a point towards the middle where a guy is talking about bank robbers like they're stealing directly from the holders with such vehemence that i said aloud "they're insured, you dingbat" but then i looked it up and the FDIC was created the same year this movie came out so egg on my face i guess. maybe FDR watched Ladies They Talk About and went "you're right, that's NOT fair" and invented the FDIC about it. i deducted a star for the unbelievably racist scaredycat caricatures all the black people were made to portray in this movie. do better, 1933.

This review may contain spoilers.

When harry dean Stanton showed up i decided to headcanon that the way he and Snake knew each other is that they're ex-lovers in a will-they-won't-they dynamic, which both enhanced my rewatch and also made Snake's insistence on calling him Howard weirdly romantic and tender. Penalizing 1 star because they never kissed onscreen.