Baby (1932) is a total mess but Anny Ondra is a riot

If you have about eighty minutes and you don't feel like thinking about anything heavy, Baby is probably your best bet. It is the kind of movie you watch when you are tired of everything being a 'statement' or a 'gritty reboot.' If you hate old-school screwball antics where people just yell and run around, you will probably want to skip this one.

Anny Ondra is the reason to watch this. Honestly, she might be the only reason. She plays 'Baby,' which is a name that sounds like it belongs to a cat, but she makes it work.

The whole thing kicks off on a train. I love train scenes in these old 30s movies because everyone looks so elegant even though they are basically traveling in a giant tin can full of coal smoke. Baby is supposed to go to this super strict boarding school where fun goes to die. Her friend Suzette is off to a school for singing and dancing.

Naturally, they decide to switch. It’s the oldest trick in the book. It makes no sense if you think about it for more than two seconds. But you shouldn't.

Suzette goes off to live the 'easy life' at the dance school, which seems like a great deal. Meanwhile, Baby ends up at the strict school and has to deal with an instructor who looks like she hasn't smiled since 1912. The contrast is where the movie tries to find its feet.

The instructor, played by Emilia Unda, is terrifying in that specific 'strict aunt' way. She has this way of looming over the girls that makes you want to sit up straighter in your own chair. Baby, of course, can't handle it.

There’s a scene where Baby is supposed to be following a strict regimen. Her face is doing about five different things at once. She’s trying to look serious, but she just looks like she’s about to explode into a laugh. It reminded me of some of the silent era energy you see in things like Hold Your Hat, where the physical comedy is the whole point.

Then there is the dancing. Oh man, the dancing.

Baby is supposed to be this girl who can't dance, and Anny Ondra plays 'bad at dancing' so well it actually looks difficult. She’s flailing around like a bird that flew into a window. It’s loud and awkward and it goes on just a little bit too long, but it’s genuinely funny.

Anton Walbrook shows up as well. He’s much younger here than in the stuff most people know him for. He has this very precise way of moving. It’s like he’s in a different movie than everyone else. He’s all charm and smooth lines while everyone else is tripping over the furniture.

The movie gets a bit bogged down in the middle. There’s a lot of talking in hallways. I actually found myself looking at the background sets more than the actors for a bit. The wallpaper in the school is incredibly busy. Who picked that? 🎨

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Baby (1932) through its definitive frames.

It’s not quite as weird as something like The Whispering Chorus, which goes into much darker places. This stays light. Too light, maybe. Sometimes you want a little more meat on the bones of the plot.

I did notice a strange thing with the sound. In some scenes, the background noise just completely cuts out when nobody is talking. It’s that early talkie weirdness. It makes the rooms feel cavernous and lonely for a second, even when they’re supposed to be crowded.

There's a subplot about Suzette enjoying the easy life that feels a bit thin. I wanted to see more of her actually failing at being a singer, but the movie is much more interested in Baby's chaos. It’s an uneven split. ⚖️

If you've seen The Marriage Market, you know the vibe. It’s all about the misunderstandings that could be solved by one honest conversation. But then we wouldn't have a movie, would we?

I liked the ending, even though it’s predictable. It wraps up with a sort of shrug and a smile. It’s not going to change your life, but it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Is it better than Everything But the Truth? Yeah, probably. It has more personality. Anny Ondra has this spark that you just don't see very often. She’s like a cartoon character come to life.

One specific moment that stuck with me: Baby tries to hide behind a curtain and her shoes are poking out the bottom. It’s such a simple, dumb joke. But I laughed. I think we need more dumb jokes like that.

The cinematography isn't doing anything crazy. It’s very 'point the camera and let them act.' But the lighting in the dance school is actually quite soft and pretty. It makes the whole place look like a dream compared to the gray, sharp lines of the boarding school.

I’m glad I watched it. I probably won't watch it again for a long time, but I’ll remember the 'dancing' scene for a while. It’s just a weird, sweet little relic from 1932.

Quick Notes:

• Anny Ondra’s eyes are basically their own characters.
• The train conductor seems genuinely confused by the plot.
• The costumes at the dance school are wild. Lots of feathers.
• Anton Walbrook is way too handsome for this movie.

It’s a bit like eating a whole bag of marshmallows. You feel a bit sick after, but it was fun while it lasted. 🍬

If you want to see where this kind of identity swap stuff started getting really polished, check out Just Out of College for a different flavor of early comedy. But for now, Baby is a decent enough distraction.