Midstream (1929) - A weird, creepy look at 1920s anti-aging

Is Midstream worth your time today? Honestly, if you're into the weird, dusty corners of the late 1920s where movies didn't quite know if they were sci-fi or morality plays, then yes. 🧪

It’s a great pick for people who love seeing how old Hollywood handled 'science' before it was actually science. If you hate slow, silent-era pacing or movies that wag their finger at you for being vain, you’ll probably find this one annoying.

The whole thing starts with James Niles, played by Montagu Love. He’s rich, successful, and absolutely miserable because he’s getting old.

He looks into the mirror like it’s his worst enemy. You can almost feel the movie trying to make you pity him, but he’s mostly just grumpy.

So, he hears about this experimental operation in Europe. It’s very vague, like most movie surgeries back then.

He goes over there, gets the 'treatment,' and suddenly he’s played by Ricardo Cortez. It’s a bold move to just swap actors halfway through, but it works in a jarring sort of way.

Cortez is way more 'Latin Lover' than Montagu Love. He has these intense eyes that look like they’re constantly searching for a spotlight. 🤨

To make things even weirder, Niles fakes his own death. He just leaves his clothes by a river or something, which is a classic move that nobody ever questions in these films.

He comes back home pretending to be his own 'nephew.' This is where the movie gets truly uncomfortable to watch.

He starts chasing after Helen, this young woman who is way, way younger than his actual self. Genevieve Schrader plays her with this wide-eyed innocence that makes the whole 'nephew' lie feel even slimier.

There is a scene at a party where he's dancing and trying to act like a 'youth.' He’s doing too much.

It reminds me of that feeling you get when you see an old guy in a sports car wearing a leather jacket that’s two sizes too small. You just want to tell him to go home and take a nap.

I kept thinking about The Beauty Shop while watching this. That one also deals with the obsession with looks, but in a totally different way.

The actng here is... well, it’s big. Ricardo Cortez doesn't just walk into a room; he enters it with a capital E.

Sometimes he stares at Helen for so long that the scene starts to feel awkward rather than romantic. You’re just waiting for her to realize he’s a weirdo.

Then, the 'midstream' of the title hits. The surgery starts wearing off.

It doesn't happen all at once. It’s this slow, painful realization that he can’t outrun his own skin.

The makeup they use to show him aging back is pretty rough. It looks like they just layered on more and more greasepaint as the scenes went on.

One reaction shot of him looking in a compact mirror lingers so long it becomes funny. He’s just staring at a wrinkle like it’s a gunshot wound.

There’s a strange energy to the crowd scenes too. They have this oddly empty feeling, like half the extras wandered off to find a movie with better catering.

I was also reminded of The Rage of Paris. Not because they are similar in plot, but because both movies are so obsessed with how people look at each other in public.

The writing in the title cards is a bit heavy-handed. It really wants you to know that trying to stay young forever is a sin. ⛪

It’s not as artistic as something like The New Babylon. It’s much more of a 'pulp' story that takes itself way too seriously.

Helen eventually figures it out, sort of. The ending is a bit of a rush.

It feels like they ran out of film or the actors had somewhere else to be. One minute he’s a young guy, the next he’s basically crumbling into dust.

It’s a bit like The Fall of the House of Usher in that sense. Just a total collapse of everything the character built on lies.

I did appreciate the weirdness of the premise, though. It’s rare to see a 1920s movie that feels this cynical about the 'fountain of youth.'

Also, the music in the version I saw was incredibly repetitive. It was the same three chords over and over during the dramatic parts.

If you enjoy seeing Ricardo Cortez being a creep, you’ll love it. If you want a deep exploration of the soul... go watch something else.

It’s an OK movie for a rainy Sunday. Just don't expect it to change your life.

Didja notice?

• The doctor’s office looks like it was decorated by someone who had only ever seen a doctor’s office in a dream.
• Helen’s hats are absolutely massive. Like, how does she stay upright?
• The 'rejuvenation' lab has these weird bubbling beakers that serve no purpose.
• Niles faking his death is so unconvincing it’s a miracle nobody arrested him immediately.

In the end, Midstream is just a reminder that biology always wins. And that Ricardo Cortez had very impressive eyebrows. 🤨