Le secret des Woronzeff: A weird little slice of Riviera intrigue

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for 1930s European dramas where everyone is either wearing a tuxedo or looking incredibly suspicious. If you want high-octane thrills, look elsewhere. If you like watching people try to fool each other in fancy villas, you might get a kick out of this.

The whole premise of a fake prince running around the Riviera sounds like it should be funnier, but it’s played surprisingly straight. There’s a weight to the way the prince carries his illness, and the lookalike—he’s just trying to survive, really.

The vibe is... specific

The cinematography has this hazy, slightly dusty quality that reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Feu Toupinel. It isn’t as manic, though. It feels more like a long, drawn-out conversation you’re accidentally overhearing at a hotel bar.

Brigitte Helm is in this, and frankly, she’s doing a lot of heavy lifting. She has this look in her eyes like she knows exactly who is lying, which makes the scenes where she interacts with the 'imposter' feel way more tense than they probably should be.

• The jewelry sets are absurdly opulent.
• The dialogue is mostly people talking about money in low whispers.
• There is a scene near the fountain that lasts way too long.

I found myself wondering if they ran out of film stock or just got bored, because some of the transitions are jarring. One minute they are in a sun-drenched courtyard, and the next it feels like a stage play shot in a closet. It’s charming in a lopsided way.

If you have seen Just a Gigolo, you know the type of ballroom atmosphere they are chasing here. It never quite captures that same sparkle, but it has a weird, gloomy heart that stuck with me after the credits rolled. Maybe it’s just the Russian prince angle, but there’s a lot of staring out of windows at the sea.

Don't expect the slapstick comedy you might find in Hoi Polloi. This is a movie that really wants you to think about inheritance laws and existential dread. It’s a strange mix, but hey, I watched the whole thing.