Across the Atlantic: A Wobbly Old Love Triangle

Okay, so Across the Atlantic isn't going to redefine your understanding of cinema. But if you're into those old, earnest dramas where everyone is just so dramatic, and love triangles feel like the biggest deal ever, you might get a kick out of it. If you need snappy dialogue or characters with real agency, you'll probably find yourself checking your watch.

The whole premise feels like something from a different era, which, well, it is. We meet brothers Hugh and Dan, both absolutely gone for Phyllis, their father’s secretary. She picks Hugh, which honestly, makes sense, because he’s the one who immediately goes off to war as a fighter pilot. Very romantic, very sudden. ✈️

Then Hugh gets shot down. And boom, amnesia. He just drifts around Europe for *years*. No real explanation of how he survives or where he gets food, just 'drifts'. It's a huge plot point that the movie kinda just asks you to accept without question. You gotta love that old-school storytelling.

Meanwhile, back home, Phyllis is still in limbo. Dan, the other brother, is still there, still loving her. But she can’t quite move on until she knows for sure what happened to Hugh. So, she decides to go find him in France. 🇫🇷

This is where it gets interesting, or maybe just wildly unrealistic, depending on your mood. How does one even begin to 'find' someone with amnesia who’s been drifting around Europe for years? Does she have a specific address? A hunch? It feels less like a determined search and more like a hopeful stroll through picturesque villages, waiting for fate to intervene.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Across the Atlantic (1928) through its definitive frames.

The pacing here is... deliberate. There are long stretches of Phyllis looking wistful, and Dan looking longingly at Phyllis. The emotional stakes are high for them, but for us, it sometimes feels like watching paint dry. One scene of Phyllis staring out a train window just seemed to go on for ages.

When the 'complications' finally kick in, they’re exactly what you’d expect from a story like this. Lots of near misses and dramatic reveals. It’s all very convenient. You can almost feel the movie trying to pull at your heartstrings with every slow zoom on a teary eye. 🥺

I found myself wondering a lot about the extras in the background during some of the France scenes. Like, were they just told to 'look French'? There’s a particular market scene where one guy just keeps looking directly at the camera. It pulled me right out of it. Small detail, but noticeable.

Edna Murphy as Phyllis does a pretty good job of conveying quiet suffering. You really feel her dilemma, even if her methods of solving it are a bit… vague. Monte Blue as Hugh spends a good chunk of the film looking confused, which, credit where it’s due, is exactly what an amnesiac should look like. Robert Ober as Dan is mostly just a sad puppy. 🐶

Look, it’s not a film you’re going to discuss for its intricate plot or groundbreaking visuals. It’s a snapshot of a certain kind of dramatic storytelling. It’s got a heart, even if that heart beats a little too slowly sometimes.

If you've spent too much time watching modern, fast-paced stuff and want a genuine throwback, Dernier amour or even The Deadlier Sex might give you similar vibes. This one, though, it’s a quiet afternoon watch. Just make sure you’re in the mood for some serious melodrama.