The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
Back to trending 
Roberta
Comedy · Music · Romance · 1935
Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie.
Movie details
Roberta
“Jerome Kern's Queen of Musical Romances!”
1935 Comedy · Music · Romance 1h 46m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.1 / 10
Community rating
Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Roberta?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Funny Face
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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
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Ninotchka
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A stern Russian woman sent to Paris on official business finds herself attracted to a man who represents everything she is supposed to detest.
Hollywood Stargirl
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When Stargirl's mother is hired as the costume designer on a movie, they relocate to L.A., where Stargirl quickly becomes involved with an eclectic assortment of characters.
Her Pen Pal
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Event planner Victoria can’t wait to attend –- and plan –- her best friend’s wedding in Paris. But when she finds out her ex is bringing a date, Victoria reconnects with her French childhood pen pal.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
William A. Seiter
Written by
Jane Murfin · Sam Mintz · Allan Scott
Irene Dunne
Stephanie
Fred Astaire
Huck Haines
Ginger Rogers
Scharwenka
Randolph Scott
John Kent
Helen Westley
Roberta
Claire Dodd
Sophie
Victor Varconi
Ladislaw
Court is in session
Put Roberta on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.