1932 in Movies

Movie reviews for movies released theatrically in 1932.

1. Vampyr, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer (10/10)

This is one of the best shot movies of all time, bar none. It features more shadow tricks than any film noir, and all sorts of insane (for its time) camera trickery. It is a very early talkie, and there is very little in the way of sound, but that only forces you to pay more attention to what is on screen. Yes, I admit, the plot sort of falls apart, no doubt because of the missing scenes. But if you are a fan of movie-making, or are interested in movie-making in anyway, this is an absolute must-see. Though it is a little later than them, this belongs with all the German silent classics which created artistic film-making.

2. Freaks, directed by Tod Browning (9/10)

This certainly feels like the first “indie” film, even though such things really didn’t exist until Cassavettes, at least. Though the amateur actors are sometimes not very good, the whole enterprise is so admirable for what it was doing (provoking prudes) and the story is affecting enough that you don’t care so much about the acting. Plus, it includes one of the more famous chants in film history.

3. I Am A Fugitive from a Chain Gang, directed by Mervyn LeRoy (9/10)

This is one of those films that Hollywood managed to get nearly-right, in spite of itself. Unfortunately, I didn’t record my thoughts at the time, but you’ll be surprised by how real (relatively speaking) this feels, given its origins in a Hollywood that didn’t do “real” in any shape or form.

3. Scarface, directed by Howard Hawks, Richard Rossen (9/10)

This is perhaps the classic Hollywood gangster film, for the most part superior to the Public Enemy and especially Little Caesar. It sets up most of the gangster genre conventions, features a shocking amount of location, or faux-location shooting, some neat camera tricks and characterizations that are iconic, if not altogether great. On the other hand, there is the totally out of place moralizing scene right in the middle, and little strange things like how Tony’s sister is clearly not Italian.

5. Das blaue Licht, directed by Leni Riefenstahl (8/10)

This is a relatively pretty looking early talkie with relatively little actual dialogue. It’s apparently notable for being one of the first talkies to be shot on location, and certainly the locations help create an appropriate mood.

Though the story of an outcast in a small town is one that a lot of us can relate to, the film has dated somewhat, particularly in the relative lack of dialogue for a talkie. Also, though the film is pretty, and contains some really unique shots – is it the first ever film to depict mountain climbing??? – it kind of pales in comparison to the Expressionist films that would soon become so unpopular in Germany (if they weren’t already).

I appreciate the mountain climbing, but I do feel like other German directors of the era got a lot more mood out of these types of stories, and that those films have held up better than this one.

6. The Mummy, directed by Karl Freund (7/10)

I guess I kind of figured I would be watching the serious version of Abbot & Costello, but that’s not the case. This is considerably different than I thought it would be. That’s mostly a blessing, I guess. It’s more interesting than ‘a man in bandages chasing people around’. Though it’s somewhat silly, I like how it doesn’t dumb down it’s Egyptian curse stuff; it kind of assumes we should know better.

7. Number Seventeen, directed by Alfred Hitchcock (5/10)

One of Hitch’s early talkies that I saw too long ago to properly assess.

8. Grand Hotel, directed by Edmund Golding (4/10)

Unfortunately I did not record my thoughts at the time, but I do remember being bored to death.

9. Red-Headed Woman, directed by James Conway (4/10)

This feels like the direct inspiration for Baby Face – in fact Baby Face feels like a rip off. But Baby Face is the superior film: better plotting, motivations for the characters higher production values and, on a personal note, I prefer Stanwyck to Harlow. The character Baby Face is at least motivated by lust for money and power – and inspired by Nietzsche – whereas it’s not clear that Lil is motivated by anything beyond girlish crushes, until final scenes when this misogynistic film adds money-grubbing to her sluttiness.

This film (and its theme song) comes from a time when people (men, particularly) thought a woman’s hair colour had a causal relationship with her behaviour. A time when there were certain types of women, and these women were the ruin of otherwise decent men. To paraphrase a friend, it’s as if the men have no agency. Baby Face has, at least, a strong motivation to do what she does. And she’s a regular person who gets corrupted. Lil is just a harlot. Moreover, she’s a red-haired one, so I guess it’s just in her DNA. At least Baby Face had the courage to imply sex (including a threesome!) – this film doesn’t even do that. Lil is just out for what she can get, and she’s completely self-unaware.

SPOILER.

The one thing I will say for this movie: the ending has the courage of conviction a lot of other films’ endings do not. I don’t think that makes it a good movie, but it’s something.

PS This is supposedly at least partially a comedy.


Shorts:

“Poem 8,” directed by Emlen Etting (10*/10)

Watched as part of a compilation where I didn’t write individual reviews. I wish I had because I’d like to know what I thought.

“La cartomancienne,” directed by Jerome Hill (7*/10)

From the same compilation.

“Little Geezer,” directed by Theodore Huff (6*/10)

An early gangster parody, where kids play adult roles. I didn’t write a review as it’s from that compilation.

“Windy Ledge Farm,” directed by Elizabeth Woodman Wright (6*/10)

From the compilation.

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