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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Devotion remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a thing for black-and-white dramas where everyone speaks like they are reciting poetry at a funeral, you might find this fun. If you want something that actually moves, skip it. This is for the kind of person who enjoys staring at old wallpaper and thinking about how different life was back then.
Honestly, the whole premise of the daughter of a rich family pretending to be a governess is a bit of a stretch. But hey, it was 1931. They did not have Netflix, so this was the high-stakes entertainment of the day.
Watching this made me think of Broadway Rose, mostly because they share that same stiff, stagey feeling. Nobody ever seems to just sit on a chair normally. They have to pose.
Ann Harding is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. She has this way of looking tragic that feels like she is trying to win a prize for 'Most Sad Face in a Motion Picture.' It’s a bit much, but I kind of respect the commitment.
The motivation feels thin. I am supposed to believe she leaves her fancy life behind just to be near a barrister? The man is fine, sure, but the level of devotion feels like a plot device more than a real emotion. It reminds me of the pacing issues in The W Plan where you just want them to get to the point already.
There is a scene near the middle where a character trips over their own lines. It’s barely noticeable, but once you hear it, you can't unhear it. It makes the whole production feel like a home movie for people with butler service.
Is it a bad movie? Not really. It is just... old. Like, really old. Sometimes the silence between lines is so quiet you can hear the film grain buzzing. 🎞️
If you are bored on a Sunday afternoon and want to feel fancy, put it on. Just do not expect your life to be changed by a governess in a fake wig.