Ramon Novarro is a total menace in A Certain Young Man (1928)

If you're in the mood for something that doesn't require a single brain cell to work, this is probably it. It's a silent comedy from 1928 that feels like it was written on a napkin during a very long lunch. Ramon Novarro plays Lord Algy, and honestly, the character is kind of a jerk, but in that way only silent movie stars can get away with. 🛶

Is it worth watching today? Only if you really like the aesthetic of the late 20s or if you're a completionist for MGM stuff. People who want a deep story will probably hate how thin the plot is. It's basically just a series of excuses for Novarro to look handsome and get into trouble.

The whole movie starts because Algy can't keep his hands off other people's wives. It's a bit like the setup in All for a Husband, where everyone is just chasing each other in circles. Algy's friends basically tell him he needs to disappear for a while before someone actually punches him. 👊

So he tells everyone he's going fishing. He even gets the gear, but you can tell he has no idea how to use it. There is this one shot where he’s holding a fishing rod like it's a piece of alien technology that really made me laugh. 🎣

Then he gets on a train and sees Marceline Day. She plays this American girl who is way too good for him, frankly. He decides right then and there to follow her to Biarritz, which is a very expensive way to stalk someone. It's weird how in 1928 this was considered romantic and not a reason to call the police. 🚂

The scenery in the Biarritz section is actually pretty cool to look at. You get a real sense of that old-school European luxury that doesn't really exist anymore. It reminded me a bit of the vibe in Film, flirt og forlovelse, just with a bigger budget. 🏨

The real star of the movie isn't even human, though. It's Sgt. Jiggs, the dog. 🐶 Every time the dog is on screen, the movie gets 10% better. He has this grumpy face that perfectly reacts to all the human nonsense happening around him. I found myself waiting for the dog to come back during the long romantic scenes.

There's a scene at a garden party where things get really messy. Algy is trying to be suave, but he keeps running into people from his past. The editing here is a bit jumpy, like they lost a few frames or just didn't care about the transition. It feels very much like a movie made by people who knew they had a hit just because of the lead actor's face. 🤳

Renée Adorée is also in this, which is a big plus. She doesn't have a huge role, but she brings a lot of energy. Sometimes the acting in these silents feels a bit like a cartoon, especially when the husbands get angry. They do that thing where they shake their fists in the air like villains in a Scooby-Doo episode. 😤

I noticed a weird detail in the background of the train station scene. There's an extra who looks like they are genuinely lost and just wandering around the set. They keep looking at the camera and then looking away really fast. It's those little mistakes that make these old movies feel more alive to me. 🕵️‍♂️

The titles are okay, but some of the jokes are definitely from a different era. There's a lot of stuff about "modern women" that feels pretty dusty now. If you've seen The Perfect Woman, you know the kind of humor I mean. It's harmless, just very old-fashioned. 👵

The movie is quite short, which is its saving grace. It doesn't overstay its welcome. If it was twenty minutes longer, I think I would have checked my phone. But at this length, it's a nice little snack of a film. 🍿

One thing that bothered me was the lighting in the indoor scenes. It’s super bright, almost like they were trying to bleach the actors out. It makes everyone's skin look like porcelain, which I guess was the style, but it’s a bit distracting. Algy's hair is always perfect, even after he's been running around, which is just impossible. 💇‍♂️

If you're looking for something with more meat on its bones, maybe check out Kipps instead. That one has a bit more of a soul. But if you just want to see a rich guy act like a fool in France, A Certain Young Man works fine. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a certain charm that’s hard to stay mad at. 🇫🇷

The ending is exactly what you think it is. No spoilers, but come on, it's a 1920s rom-com. Everyone gets what they want and the dog probably gets a treat. 🦴

I liked it more than I expected to, mostly because Novarro is so charismatic. He has this way of smiling that makes you forget he's playing a total creep. It's a weird talent to have. Anyway, it's a decent way to spend an hour if you have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon. ☁️