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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. High Voltage remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so you’re looking at a 1929 film, High Voltage. Is it worth digging up today? Well, if you’re into really early talkies, the kind where the sound sometimes feels like it’s still finding its feet, then yeah, there’s some curious stuff here. Folks who appreciate seeing how films evolved might find it interesting. If you need fast pacing and pristine audio, you’ll probably be kinda bored. 🤷♀️
The whole thing kicks off with a busload of people getting stuck in a really bad snowstorm. Like, a proper blizzard. They end up taking refuge in this abandoned church, which, naturally, is spooky and atmospheric. It’s got that immediate sense of isolation, which the movie actually does pretty well.
Then this mysterious guy, played by Owen Moore, just kinda _appears_ out of the storm. He’s all quiet and intense. The passengers immediately start to suspect he’s a criminal on the lam, which, fair enough, is a pretty common trope. But here, it feels less like a cliché and more like a natural human reaction when you’re freezing and trapped with strangers.
Carole Lombard, bless her, plays a passenger named Jean. She’s got this incredible spark, even at this early stage of her career. There’s a scene where she’s trying to keep spirits up, almost too hard, and you can see a flicker of that future star quality. She’s not just a damsel; she’s got some gumption, even if the script doesn’t always give her a ton to do beyond react.
The tension really starts to build, but it’s not with huge action. It’s more subtle. Like, there’s this one shot of everyone huddled around a small fire, and the shadows are just _long_. You can almost feel the cold in the room. And then someone drops a hint about the mysterious man's past, and everyone just kinda glances at each other. That silent beat really works.
The pacing, for a film of this era, is actually not too bad. It doesn’t drag its feet *too* much getting to the core mystery. But there are moments, especially when the characters are just bickering, where it feels like they’re waiting for the sound engineer to catch up. The dialogue, sometimes, feels a bit stilted, like they’re still figuring out how to talk naturally on screen.
Billy Bevan is also in this, playing a more comedic role, which offers a few laughs. He’s the one trying to make light of things, but even his jokes have this nervous edge. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, more of a tension release valve. His reactions to the supposed criminal are pretty priceless; he’s always trying to look brave but clearly terrified. 😂
The big reveal about the mysterious man? It’s… well, it’s not going to blow your mind today. But for 1929, it probably packed a decent punch. It's more about the journey of getting there, and how these different people handle fear and suspicion when cut off from the world. There’s a certain charm in that simplicity. The way they all jump to conclusions, it’s just very human.
One small thing that sticks with me is the way the snow outside the church window is filmed. It’s not just a backdrop; it feels like another character, constantly pressing in on them. Every time someone looks out, you feel that chill. It adds a lot to the feeling of being trapped. They don't overdo it either, just a few quick glimpses. It makes an impact.
It’s not a flawless movie, not by a long shot. Some of the acting, beyond Lombard, is a bit… theatrical for modern tastes. You can tell they’re still adapting from stage work. But for a glimpse into early cinema, and to see a young Carole Lombard starting to shine, it’s definitely worth a watch if you're into that sort of thing. Just keep your expectations in check regarding the sound quality. It's a bit of a historical artifact, but an interesting one. 👍
IMDb —
1921
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