A Lady to Love: Edward G. Robinson, Grapes, and a Very Bad Plan

If you are looking for something to watch on a rainy Tuesday, this might be it. You should watch it if you like Edward G. Robinson being way more emotional than he was in his gangster movies. You will probably hate it if you can't stand plots that only exist because people won't just talk to each other for five minutes.

It’s one of those early sound movies where everything feels a bit stiff. But also weirdly alive because they didn't quite know the rules yet.

So, we have Tony. He grows grapes in Napa Valley. 🍇

He’s successful, but he’s lonely and thinks he’s too old or too ugly to get a girl. He sees Lena in a San Francisco restaurant and just decides she’s the one.

Instead of just talking to her, he sends a letter with a photo of Buck. Buck is played by Robert Ames, and he is basically the 1930s version of a "cool guy."

Tony is played by Robinson, and man, he is really leaning into the Italian immigrant thing. The accent is... well, it's consistent. I'll give him that.

He waves his arms around so much I thought he might accidentally hit the other actors. It’s a lot of energy for a movie about farming.

When Lena (Vilma Bánky) shows up, she thinks she’s marrying the guy in the photo. Imagine the awkwardness when she realizes it was a bait-and-switch. 😬

The scene where she arrives at the house is actually pretty uncomfortable. You can feel her heart sinking into her boots.

The house looks dusty and real. Not like those fake movie sets that look like nobody lives there.

There is a lot of talk about grapes. Like, so much talk about the harvest.

It reminded me a bit of the tension in The Unknown, but without the armless knife-throwing. Just a lot of emotional baggage instead.

Lena decides to stay anyway, mostly because she's tired of being a waitress. It’s a pragmatic choice that felt surprisingly modern for a movie this old.

She doesn't immediately love Tony. She actually seems kind of annoyed by him for a while.

Then Buck starts hanging around. Because of course he does.

The lighting in the scenes between Lena and Buck is much moodier. Lots of shadows and long looks that go on a bit too long.

One shot of a door closing felt like it took a full minute. I think they were trying to be dramatic, but it just made me want to check my phone.

I noticed that the sound quality dips whenever someone moves too far from the center of the room. It’s that early tech struggle.

There’s this one supporting character, a neighbor I think, who just shows up to yell things. I didn't catch his name, but he was very loud. 📣

The movie is based on a play called They Knew What They Wanted. You can tell because most of it happens in like two rooms and a porch.

It doesn't feel cinematic, but it feels intense. Like being trapped in a house with a family that's about to have a massive fight.

Edward G. Robinson has this moment where he realizes what’s happening and his face just... crumples. It’s actually really good acting, even if the rest of his performance is a bit much.

He makes Tony feel pathetic but also kind of sweet? It’s a weird mix.

I kept thinking about The Americano while watching this, mostly because of the cultural clash stuff. But this is way more of a bummer.

The ending isn't what I expected. It’s not a clean "happily ever after" where everything is forgiven.

It’s more like... "well, we're all stuck here now, so let's make it work." Which is honestly more relatable.

The film gets noticeably better once Tony gets injured and has to stay in bed. It forces the characters to actually confront the mess they made.

There's a lot of silence in the middle of the movie. Not the artistic kind, just the "we didn't write dialogue for this part" kind.

Buck is kind of a jerk, honestly. I don't know why Lena is so into him other than his face.

He has this smirk that makes you want to poke him in the eye. 👁️

I also spotted a few moments where the actors seemed to be waiting for their cue. They just stand there looking at the door before anyone walks in.

It’s those little cracks that make me love these old films. They feel like a stage play that someone happened to record.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Not even close.

But it's got this raw, clunky honesty to it. It’s about people being selfish and making dumb choices because they’re scared of being alone.

If you liked East Lynne, you'll probably find this interesting too. It’s that same kind of heavy-handed drama that actually works if you’re in the right mood.

Also, the hats. The hats in this movie are spectacular.

Lena has this one hat that looks like a literal bucket. I don't know how she saw anything while wearing it.

Overall, it's a decent way to spend 90 minutes if you want to see a legend like Robinson before he became a caricature of himself. Just don't expect a fast pace.

It moves about as fast as a tractor in a mud pit. But sometimes that’s okay.

Some random notes:

• Tony’s house is actually pretty nice for a guy who claims to be struggling.
• The way they handle the "scandal" part of the plot is very 1930s. Lots of gasping.
• I'm pretty sure one of the extras in the background is just eating a real bunch of grapes the whole time. 🍇
• The music is barely there, which makes the shouting feel even louder.

I wouldn't go out of my way to find a DVD of this, but if it pops up on a streaming channel, give it a shot. It's better than half the stuff they pump out now just for the sake of "content."

It's got soul, even if that soul is a bit confused and yells in a fake Italian accent.