Children of Fate (1928) - Grainy, flickery, and weirdly honest

If you have about an hour and you don't mind squinting through a bit of film grain, Children of Fate is actually worth a look. You should watch it if you're the kind of person who likes digging through old attics or finding weird artifacts at a garage sale.

But honestly? If you can't stand silent movies or the way people used to act with their entire bodies just to show they're sad, you're gonna hate this. It’s definitely not for the 'I only watch 4K' crowd. 🎞️

I wasn't sure what to expect going in. Most of these old films are either lost or look like they were dragged through a puddle before being scanned.

This one has Shingzie Howard in it, and she has this way of looking at the camera that feels almost uncomfortable. Like she knows we’re watching her from a hundred years in the future.

The story is kind of a mess, but in a way that feels real. It’s mostly about Virginia and her dad, who is a gambler and basically ruins everything he touches.

There is a scene near a gambling table where the lighting is just... off. One side of the actor's face is totally dark, and the other is glowing white like a ghost. 👻

It’s not 'cinematic' in the way people talk about now. It feels more like someone set up a camera in a basement and just told everyone to start yelling silently.

I noticed Lawrence Chenault pops up too. If you’ve seen Moral Suicide, you’ll recognize him immediately. He has this very specific way of standing that makes him look like he’s perpetually about to give a speech.

The makeup is heavy. Like, really heavy. You can see the lines where the powder ends on their necks sometimes.

There’s a moment where a character gets some bad news, and the reaction shot lasts for what feels like a full minute. I started counting the seconds after a while because it got so awkward.

It reminded me a bit of the pacing in Alim, where things just sort of happen and then the movie moves on without explaining much. You just have to roll with it.

The title cards are my favorite part though. Some of the dialogue they wrote back then is so extra.

One card basically says a character is 'lost in the whirlpool of life' just because they lost a bet. A bit dramatic, maybe? 😅

I did find myself wondering how much of the set was just someone’s actual living room. The furniture looks too lived-in to be a studio set.

There’s a rug in the background of one scene that has a corner curled up. I kept waiting for someone to trip over it, but nobody did.

It’s strange seeing these 'race films' because they have such a different energy than the mainstream stuff from 1928. It feels less polished, but way more human.

The ending feels rushed, like they ran out of film or the sun was going down. It just sort of... stops.

I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it’s a fascinating little window into a world that doesn't exist anymore. Even the way they hold their hats feels like a lost art form.

It's better than A Lucky Dog's Day, mostly because there’s actually a plot you can follow if you pay enough attention. But it's not quite as intense as something like Destruction.

Sometimes the screen goes almost completely black for a second. I think that's just the film rotting, but it adds a weird tension to the scene that probably wasn't intended.

If you're into the history of Black cinema, this is essential. If you just want a movie to eat popcorn to, you’ll probably fall asleep by the second reel.

Didja notice?

• The way the father always touches his mustache when he’s lying.
• That one extra in the background who is clearly laughing when they should be sad.
• The handwriting on the letters is actually really pretty. ✍️
• The flickering gets really bad during the outdoor scenes.
• Virginia’s dress has these tiny beads that catch the light and make the camera go crazy.
• Someone definitely forgot to close a door in the background of the hallway shot.