A Bit of Heaven (1928) Review - Mostly Just for Lila Lee Fans

If you’re the kind of person who likes to sit in a dark room and watch flickery black and white ghosts from a hundred years ago, you might like this. Otherwise, you'll probably find it pretty boring.

It’s a silent movie from 1928 called A Bit of Heaven and honestly, the title is laying it on a bit thick. It’s not heaven. It’s just a movie about a girl who’s poor but then things happen and she’s not so poor anymore. Classic stuff. 🎬

Lila Lee is the main girl here. She has these giant eyes that seem to occupy about 40% of her face. I kept thinking about how much makeup she must have had to scrub off at the end of the day.

She plays this character with a lot of sincere energy, which is good because the plot is pretty thin. It reminds me a bit of Rose of the Alley in the way it handles the struggling girl trope. But this one is lighter.

It doesn't feel as heavy as something like Uncle Tom's Cabin, thank god. That would have been too much for a Tuesday night.

Bryant Washburn shows up as the guy. He wears a hat really well. That’s basically his whole job in this movie, looking good in a suit and a hat.

He’s got this very stiff way of standing that I think was supposed to be distinguished back then. Now it just looks like he’s got a back problem.

There’s this group called Kusell's Dancing Debutantes who appear at one point. It’s a very strange scene. They’re all dancing in these outfits that look like they were made out of discarded wedding veils.

It goes on for a while. Maybe too long? I didn't mind it that much though. It was a nice break from the melodrama.

The writing is by Harry Chandlee and some others. You can tell they were trying to make it feel important. Some of the title cards are just ridiculous.

One of them says something about a 'heart’s sanctuary' and I actually rolled my eyes a bit. It’s way more dramatic than By Proxy which was a bit more grounded. I mean, for a silent movie.

The lighting in the indoor scenes is actually pretty nice. They used these soft glows that make everyone look like they’re made of wax. It’s very dreamy.

But then you see the exterior shots and it looks like they just went out into a dusty alleyway. The contrast is kinda jarring. It’s not as visually weird as Die goldene Pest, but it’s got its moments.

I noticed one scene where a background extra is clearly looking right at the camera. Just for a second. He looks so confused.

Like he’s not sure if he’s in a movie or just lost. I love seeing things like that in old films. It makes it feel more real. More human.

The pacing is okay I guess. It’s only about an hour long, so it doesn't overstay its welcome. I’ve seen worse. Like The Menace of the Mute. That one felt like it lasted three days.

This one just zips along. There’s a lot of focus on 'society' and what people think of you. Which is funny because nobody in the movie seems to have a real job.

They just go to parties and look worried. I wish I had that life. Minus the flickering light and the lack of sound.

Actually, the silence is kind of nice sometimes. I played some jazz in the background while watching. It didn't really fit the mood but it made me feel fancy.

If you’re into the whole 'lost silent era' thing, you should track this down. It’s a bit like The Governor's Lady but with less political stuff. Just pure, sugary romance.

Lila Lee really is the star. Without her, this would be a total wash. She has a scene where she’s crying and it actually feels... sad? Not just 'silent movie sad' where they shake their shoulders. But actually sad.

It caught me off guard. Martha Mattox is in this too. She plays the kind of character she always played. Strict, a bit scary, looking like she just swallowed a lemon. She’s great at it.

She makes Mary's Lamb look like a comedy by comparison. The sets