Adieu, Mascotte review: Lilian Harvey is adorable in a weirdly messy movie

If you want to see Lilian Harvey at her absolute peak of being unreasonably charming, this is the one. It is definitely worth a watch if you like that specific 1920s vibe where everyone wears too much eye makeup and gestures wildly at things. 🎞️

But honestly? If you hate movies where the plot feels like it was written on the back of a napkin during a very long lunch, you’ll probably find this annoying.

The whole premise is that Lilian’s character, Mascotte, is a "lucky charm." People literally pass her around like a piece of luggage because they think she’ll help them win at the casino or whatever. It’s a bit creepy if you think about it for more than five seconds, so maybe just... don't think about it.

Lilian Harvey is just so expressive. There is this one close-up early on where she’s wearing this massive, fuzzy hat that looks like it weighs ten pounds. She does this little squint with her eyes that made me actually smile at my laptop screen like a crazy person.

She’s the only reason to stay, really. The guys in this movie are mostly interchangeable bores with stiff collars.

Hubert von Meyerinck is in this too, and he has a face that just looks naturally suspicious. He’s like that one uncle who shows up to Christmas and you just know he’s going to try and sell you a fake watch. I love his energy, even if he doesn't have much to do here.

The pacing is a bit wonky. It feels like the director, Willi Wolff, couldn't decide if he wanted a high-stakes drama or a silly comedy. 🤡

There is a scene in a hotel room that goes on for about three minutes too long. They just keep opening and closing doors. It’s like they were trying to do a farce but forgot to make the timing snappy.

I noticed this one extra in the background of a party scene who is holding a glass of wine and looking directly into the camera for a solid five seconds. He looks absolutely terrified, like he realized he left the stove on at home mid-take.

The lighting in the cafe scene is actually pretty nice, though. It has that soft, hazy glow that makes everyone look like they’re made of dream dust. ✨

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in The Road to Ruin, but without the weird lecturing about morality. This movie doesn't really care about morality; it just wants to show off Lilian's dimples.

I feel like the script by Franz Schulz and Michel Linsky was probably much better than what ended up on screen. Some of the title cards have these witty little lines that don't quite match the clunky acting from the supporting cast. It’s like the movie is trying to be smarter than it actually is.

There’s this moment where Mascotte has to leave her first "owner" and the music (in the version I watched) got all somber and tragic. But Lilian just looks like she’s bored and wants a snack. I felt that. 🥨

The ending is... fine? It’s one of those endings where everything just sort of stops because they ran out of film. It doesn't really resolve the whole "treating a woman like a rabbit's foot" thing, but I guess 1929 wasn't big on that kind of analysis.

If you’ve seen Alias Jimmy Valentine, you know how these late silents can sometimes feel like they are stuck between two worlds. Adieu, Mascotte is definitely stuck. It’s trying to be a modern rom-com but it’s trapped in the visual language of the decade before.

I really liked the costumes, though. Especially the coats. Everyone in the 20s looked like they were perpetually ready for a very fancy funeral or a very fancy heist.

Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not. It’s kind of a mess if you look at the structure. But Lilian Harvey is such a spark plug that she almost makes you forget that the plot is basically non-existent.

I think I liked it more because it felt so human and imperfect. Like, you can tell they were just having a good time on set and didn't care if the editing was a bit jumpy. ✂️

Anyway, if you find a copy of it, put it on while you're folding laundry. It’s perfect for that. You don't need to give it your full attention, but every time you look up, you'll see something pretty or a funny face from Lilian.

It’s a nice little time capsule. Nothing more, nothing less. ⏳