Her Private Life (1929) review: Billie Dove, big hats, and a lot of shouting

If you enjoy watching people in absurdly expensive clothes look absolutely miserable, then you should probably watch this today. It is a perfect choice for anyone who loves the transition era of movies—you know, when they were still figuring out how microphones worked. If you hate slow-moving dramas where the main conflict is 'reputation,' you will likely find this boring as hell.

I just finished watching Her Private Life and my ears are still ringing a bit from Montagu Love. He plays Sir Bruce Haden, the husband. He is supposed to be this 'vulgar' self-made millionaire, which in 1929 movie language just means he talks way too loud and is mean to his wife. 🚩

Billie Love (or is it Billie Dove? the credits seem to disagree with themselves) plays Lady Helen. She is the heart of the movie, really. She has this way of looking at the camera like she knows exactly how ridiculous her life is, but she has to keep wearing the pearls anyway.

The plot kicks off when she meets Ned Thayer, played by a very young and very stiff Walter Pidgeon. Ned is an American, so of course, he’s the breath of fresh air. He doesn't care about the stuffy British rules that Bruce is obsessed with.

There is this one scene at a card game that feels like it lasts for an eternity. You can almost see the actors waiting for their cue to speak because the early sound equipment was so clunky. It makes the tension feel accidental rather than planned. 🃏

I noticed that Helen’s hats get progressively more dramatic as her life falls apart. By the time the divorce happens, she’s wearing things that look like they could catch satellite signals. It’s great.

The divorce itself is pretty acrimonious. Bruce is just... such a jerk. He uses her attraction to Ned to basically throw her out into the street. It reminds me a bit of the vibe in Three Sinners, but with more shouting.

The Zasu Pitts Factor

Zasu Pitts shows up and, as usual, she is doing her thing. She has those nervous hands and that worried face that always makes me smile. She provides a bit of a break from all the high-society pouting. I wish she was in it more, to be honest.

The movie feels very much like a play, which makes sense because it was based on one called Declassee. Sometimes you can tell the actors are trying to stay near the flower vase because that's probably where the microphone was hidden. 🎙️

There’s a moment where Helen has to say goodbye to her son and it’s actually quite sad. It’s not over-the-top, just a quiet bit of acting in a movie that is otherwise pretty loud. It felt more real than the big blowout fights.

I kept thinking about Hail the Woman while watching this. Both films are so focused on how society just loves to crush women who don't follow the script. Helen isn't even doing anything that bad, she's just bored.

Walter Pidgeon is fine, I guess. He doesn't have much to do except look handsome and be 'American.' He doesn't have the screen presence he developed later in his career. Here, he’s kind of just a plot device with a nice suit.

The pacing is a bit of a mess. The first half drags while they set up the marriage problems, and then the divorce happens and the movie suddenly remembers it needs to end. It’s very lopsided. ⚖️

I also spotted Roland Young in a small role. He’s always a treat. He has this dry way of delivering lines that makes everyone else look like they are trying way too hard.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it better than Naughty? Probably, just because the stakes feel a bit higher. The drama is thick enough to cut with a knife, even if some of the 'scandal' feels pretty tame by today's standards.

The ending is... well, it’s an ending. It feels a bit rushed, like they ran out of film or the director wanted to go to lunch. It doesn't quite give you the satisfaction you want after watching Helen suffer for 80 minutes.

One thing that really stood out was the lighting in the indoor scenes. They used these heavy shadows that make the Haden mansion look like a prison. It’s not subtle, but it works. 🕯️

If you're looking for something polished, go watch a modern remake. But if you want to see a star like Billie Dove command the screen while dealing with a script that is 50% gossip and 50% gaslighting, give this a look. Just be prepared for the 'hiss' on the soundtrack.

It’s a weird little time capsule. It’s imperfect and sometimes the acting feels like it’s from another planet, but I’m glad I watched it. It makes you realize that being a 'lady' in 1929 sounded like a total nightmare.

• Best moment: Any time Bruce gets ignored by Helen.
• Worst moment: The sound cutting out during a pivotal whisper.
• Fashion rating: 10/10 for the headbands alone.

Anyway, that's my take. It's a solid 6 out of 10 if you like old stuff. If you don't, it's a 2.