Colomba (1933) is a dusty, moody trip into Corsican revenge

Is this for you?

If you have a soft spot for old black-and-white dramas that smell like damp earth and simmering grudges, you'll probably dig this. It’s got that specific, slow-burn 1930s energy. If you need your movies to move at the speed of a TikTok scroll or require a massive budget to stay awake, skip it. You will absolutely hate how much time they spend just standing around looking intense.

Honestly, the whole thing feels a bit like a dusty postcard from a place that doesn't exist anymore. It’s not exactly a thrill ride, but there's a raw, prickly tension in the air that’s hard to ignore. It reminds me a little bit of the mood in Law of the North, where the landscape is just as much a character as the actors.

Notes from the couch

The pacing is… well, it's a choice. There are scenes that stretch on until you start noticing the weird dust particles dancing in the light. Sometimes that silence works, though. It makes the eventual violence feel like a relief rather than just another plot point.

Josette Day is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. She has this way of staring that makes you feel like she’s already buried you in the backyard. She’s not playing a damsel; she’s playing a force of nature.

• The Corsican mountains look incredibly lonely.
• I keep waiting for someone to drop their guard, but nobody does.
• The dialogue is stiff, but the eye contact makes up for it.
• Wait, did that extra in the background just trip over his own feet? Yep, he definitely did.

It’s not perfect. The transitions are sometimes so jarring they feel like someone cut the film with a pair of kitchen scissors. You'll be in a high-stakes conversation and then suddenly we’re just staring at a tree for ten seconds. It’s weird. I kind of liked it, though.

Watching this made me think about how we tell stories about family honor. It’s much messier than it sounds on paper. The film doesn't try to make these people likable, which is a massive win in my book. They’re just people stuck in a loop of misery, trying to do what they think is right. It’s not as manic as Monkey Business, but it carries a different kind of weight.

The final act feels like it’s rushing to catch a train, which is a bit of a shame after such a leisurely start. Still, it leaves you with that slightly unsettled feeling you get when you’ve been reading a book you didn't quite understand but couldn't put down. It's a relic, sure, but it’s a haunting one. 🎥