Eva in Seide (1928) is a weirdly moody fashion drama

You should probably watch Eva in Seide if you like looking at beautiful, grainy shots of 1920s Berlin and don't mind a plot that moves like molasses. It is perfect for a rainy Tuesday when you want to feel a bit sophisticated but also a bit bored.

If you need explosions or fast-talking detectives, you are going to absolutely hate this. It is a silent film, obviously, so it requires you to actually pay attention to faces rather than your phone. 📱

Lissy Arna plays Eva, and honestly, she is the only reason this movie works at all. She has these eyes that look like she hasn't slept in three days, but in a way that makes you want to buy her a drink and hear her life story.

The whole thing starts in a fashion house. The way they film the silk—the Seide from the title—is actually kind of obsessive. 👗

There is a scene where a character just runs their hand over a bolt of fabric. It goes on for a long time. Like, a really long time.

You can tell the director, Carl Boese, was really into the texture of things. It reminds me a little of the grit in Apaches of Paris, but with more money and better hats.

The plot is about a necklace, because in 1928, it was always about a stolen necklace. Someone gets accused, someone is lying, and Eva is caught in the middle of it all while wearing some very extravagant outfits.

Walter Rilla shows up as the male lead, and he’s... fine. He mostly just stands there looking handsome and slightly confused about which direction to walk in.

There’s a moment where he looks at a letter and his expression doesn't change for about ten seconds. I think he forgot his line, even though there are no lines to speak. 😂

The pacing is definitely a bit wonky. Some scenes feel like they were edited with a meat cleaver, while others just linger until you start noticing the dust motes on the lens.

It’s not quite as weird or spooky as something like The Monster, but it has this heavy, German mood that feels like a weight on your chest. In a good way, I think?

I kept thinking about Within the Law while watching this. Both movies have that "wrongly accused woman" thing going on, but Eva in Seide feels more interested in the parties than the courtroom.

The party scenes are actually pretty great. Everyone looks like they are having the most miserable time of their lives while drinking champagne.

There is an extra in the background of one ballroom scene who is just staring directly into the camera. He looks like he’s seeing into my soul through time. It’s creepy.

I noticed that the intertitles (the text cards) are sometimes a bit too dramatic. One of them says something about "the shadows of the soul," and I just rolled my eyes a little bit.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Eva in Seide (1928) through its definitive frames.

But then you see Eva’s face again and you forgive the movie for being cheesy. She’s just that good.

The lighting in her apartment is very moody. They use these deep shadows that make it look like the walls are closing in on her.

It’s a very different vibe from something like Around the World in 80 Days where everything is a big spectacle. This feels small and private.

There is a subplot with a character named Baron von Ledebur. He has a mustache that should have its own credit in the opening titles. 🧔

I found myself wondering if people in 1928 actually liked silk this much. The movie makes it seem like silk is more important than oxygen or food.

There’s a strange bit near the middle where the camera just pans across a room for no reason. It doesn't show anything important, just some chairs and a lamp.

Maybe the cinematographer just liked the lamp? I don't know.

If you’ve seen Dope, you might recognize that same sort of "urban tragedy" energy, but Eva in Seide is much more obsessed with the upper class.

The ending feels a bit rushed, like they realized they were running out of film and had to wrap it up in five minutes. It’s a bit of a letdown after all that slow buildup.

Still, I’m glad I watched it. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s interesting.

It’s the kind of movie that stays in your head because of one or two shots of a woman looking sad in a very expensive dress. 🥂

Sometimes that is all you really need from a movie. It doesn't have to change your life; it just has to look cool while you're eating popcorn.

I wish the villain was a bit more threatening, though. He mostly just looks like a guy who would overcharge you for a rug.

Anyway, if you find a copy of this, give it a go. Just make sure you’re in the mood for something that takes its time.

Also, the hats. I cannot emphasize enough how wild the hats are in this movie. They look like architectural accidents.

The film doesn't try to be anything other than what it is. A tragedy in silk. 🎬