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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you have a rainy afternoon and a weirdly specific interest in 1930s French social etiquette, you might want to give Le vertige a look. It is definitely one of those movies that feels like a time capsule from a world that doesn't exist anymore.
I wouldn’t say it’s a 'must-see' for everyone. If you hate movies where people talk in rooms for a long time, you will probably be bored out of your mind.
But for people who like to see how cinema was figuring itself out after sound came along, it’s actually pretty interesting. It has that stiff, slightly awkward energy that a lot of early talkies have.
The story is basically about Henriette. She’s married to a guy who is incredibly jealous and, honestly, a bit of a drag to be around.
You can tell right away that she’s miserable. The actress, Micheline Bernard, does this thing where she looks slightly past everyone she’s talking to.
It’s like she’s already checking out of the conversation before it even starts. I found myself feeling bad for her, even when the movie was being a bit too much with the melodrama.
Then there is the husband. He stalks around the rooms like he’s looking for a reason to be mad.
His mustache is so perfectly groomed it almost looks fake. It probably was fake, honestly.
The real reason to watch this, in my humble opinion, is Arletty. She isn't the main star here, but every time she walks into a frame, the movie gets 100% better.
She has this way of looking at the other characters like she knows exactly what they’re thinking. And she usually thinks it's funny.
There is a scene where she’s just standing in the background while the main couple argues. She doesn't say much, but her facial expressions are everything.
She makes the rest of the cast look like they are trying way too hard. It reminded me a bit of the high-society vibes in Tonight Is Ours, but way more French.
The pacing is... well, it’s slow. There are moments where a character will walk across a room, and the camera just follows them with no music or anything.
It feels very real in a weird way. Like you are just a fly on the wall in a very fancy, very tense house.
I noticed that the sound quality is a bit fuzzy, which is expected for 1935. But there’s this one part where a door slams and it sounds like a gunshot.
It actually made me jump. I don't think it was supposed to be that loud, but the microphone must have been right next to the hinge.
Also, the clothes! Everyone is dressed like they are going to a funeral or a very expensive wedding.
The hats that some of the women wear are so big I don't know how they kept their balance. It adds a bit of unintentional comedy to the serious scenes.
There’s a bit of a mystery element toward the end that involves a lot of confusion and mistaken identity. It gets a little messy.
I had to rewind once because I wasn't sure who was supposed to be who. That might just be me not paying enough attention, though.
The movie is based on a play, and you can really tell. Most of the action happens off-screen, and people just come in to talk about it later.
It’s a bit like watching a filmed theater performance. Some people love that style, but I usually prefer it when movies actually show me the stuff happening.
Compared to something grander like Sissi, this feels very contained and small. It doesn't have those big sweeping landscapes.
It’s just people in rooms, feeling things very loudly. Sometimes that’s enough, I guess.
The title, Le vertige, refers to that dizzy feeling you get when everything is falling apart. I think the movie captures that okay, but it takes its sweet time getting there.
By the time the 'vertigo' actually kicks in, I was already thinking about what I wanted for dinner. But that’s just the nature of these old dramas.
If you're a completist for French cinema, it's a solid watch. If you're just looking for a fun movie night, maybe skip it.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a certain charm. Arletty’s hat alone gets a 10/10 from me.
IMDb —
1925
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