The Idle Rich (1929)

The Idle Rich (1929). 1h 28m | Passed

“The Idle Rich presents very good acting and directing. I particularly liked that everyone talked over each other in a way that matches reality rather than waiting for the first person to finish.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever, the film has serious defects. There is no music, even for the titles. The camera is completely static; not a single movement. But worst of all is the editing that wouldnu0026#39;t pass muster in an introductory film course. A scene is broken up by a scene of a door, no talking or action and then back to the plot. Both action and reaction shots are included several times with deadly silence for the reactions. In one, a personu0026#39;s arm disappears in the reaction. Obviously one or the other shot or a combination of cutting was intended. Instead, itu0026#39;s all there. In other scenes the action stops but the film continues interminably. One mistake in a very early talkie is to be expected but these multiple errors make me wonder if this wasnu0026#39;t the final cut but rather a preliminary print that somehow snuck into the vault by mistake.”