A Nagymama (1935): A charming, dusty relic

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, if you like old-school theater adaptations that feel like they were filmed on a stage, you will probably get a kick out of A Nagymama. It has that specific 1930s warmth, all heavy curtains and polite shouting. If you need things to blow up or require a plot that doesn't rely entirely on people misinterpreting letters, you might find this one a bit of a slog. It is a slow burn, but not the kind that pays off with a massive twist.

Watching this felt a bit like visiting a museum that still lets you touch the exhibits. There is a weight to the way the actors carry themselves. Denise Nagy, playing the grandmother, has this absolute command of the room that makes everyone else look like they are vibrating with nervous energy. She doesn't have to yell to be the scariest person in the scene, which is a nice change of pace from modern drama.

The Rhythm of the Thing

The pacing is… well, it is what it is. Sometimes a conversation just happens, and the camera doesn't bother to cut away for a reaction shot, it just stays there. It feels awkward, like you are sitting in the corner of the room while they argue. I kind of loved that.

• The lighting in the convent scenes is surprisingly moody.
• The way they handle doors—seriously, everyone is always slamming a door at the exact wrong moment.
• It feels a lot more grounded than something like Sitting Pretty, which leans much harder into the goofiness.

There is this moment where a letter is being passed around, and the tension is so thin you could snap it. You know exactly what it says, but the characters are acting like they just found a bomb. It reminded me a little of the frantic energy in Strangers in Love, just with more petticoats and less slapstick. Some of the supporting cast are clearly just there to fill space, standing in the back looking slightly confused about where to put their hands. It’s charming in a weird, imperfect way.

I found myself zoning out during the long speeches about family duty, but then the grandmother would say something absolutely savage and I was back in it. The film doesn't try to be profound. It just wants to be a play that you can watch from your couch. It succeeds at that, mostly because it doesn't try too hard to be cinema. 🎥

It is definitely a different vibe than something like The Two Orphans. It doesn't have that same desperate, tragic pull. Instead, it feels like a gossip session in a fancy parlor. Don't expect to be changed by it, just expect to be entertained for an hour or so.