Janet Gaynor is adorable in the circus drama Christina (1929)

If you like movies where people stare at each other until you feel like you are intruding on a private moment, this is for you.

Janet Gaynor has these eyes that just seem to take up her whole face, and she uses them a lot here.

It is definitely worth a watch if you're in the mood for something quiet and a little bit sad.

But if you want something with a lot of energy or explosions, you’re gonna hate it.

The story takes place in this fake-looking Dutch fishing village where everyone wears huge wooden shoes.

I kept wondering how the actors didn't trip over their own feet every time they had to walk across a room.

Christina lives with her dad, and their life is basically just shoes and fish until the circus comes to town.

The circus scenes are actually some of my favorite parts because they feel so small and dusty.

It’s not like a big modern circus; it’s more like a group of people who are just barely getting by.

Then we meet Jan, played by Charles Morton, who is the handsome guy all the girls in the village start obsessing over.

He has this very specific way of leaning against things that makes him look like he’s in a fashion magazine from 1929.

He and Christina fall in love pretty fast, which is just how these old movies go.

There isn't a lot of talking—or any, really, since it's a silent—but you can tell they’re into each other by the way they look at a piece of bread together.

But then there is Mrs. Bosman, the woman who runs the circus.

She is the real problem in this movie.

She’s got this weird, possessive vibe with Jan that feels a lot more intense than it probably should.

She’s not exactly a monster, but she’s mean in a way that feels very personal.

Some of the drama reminded me of The Show, where the carnival setting just makes everything feel a bit more desperate.

There is this one shot of Mrs. Bosman watching them from behind a tent flap that is actually pretty creepy.

I think the movie gets a bit slow in the middle when they spend too much time on the village life.

We get it, they live in a village and things are traditional.

It felt a little bit like the pacing in Low Tide, where you’re just waiting for the next big thing to happen.

I did notice one guy in the backround of a circus scene who looked like he was just wandering around looking for the bathroom.

It’s those little mistakes that make these old films feel more real to me.

The lighting in the final scenes is actually really pretty, with lots of shadows that make Christina look even more fragile.

I wish the ending wasn't so rushed, though.

It feels like they had a lot more to say and then just decided to stop because they ran out of time.

I don't really care about the technical stuff, but the way the camera stays on Janet Gaynor’s face for so long is really somethin.

It’s like the director knew she was the only reason people were really watching.

It’s not as gritty as Blue Blood, but it has its own kind of heavy mood.

I found myself thinking about the wooden shoes again halfway through.

They make this clack-clack sound in my head even though the movie is silent.

If you can find a good copy of this, give it a chance on a quiet night.

Just don't expect it to change your life or anythin. 🤡

It’s just a sweet, slightly messy story about a girl and a circus guy.

Sometimes that’s enough.