I watched Mother Hummingbird and honestly, I just want that dress

If you have a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do and you don't mind reading subtitles—or just guessing what people are saying—this is worth a look. It’s for people who like old-school melodrama and clothes that look like they belong in a museum.

If you need things to blow up or people to talk fast, you are going to absolutely hate this. It moves at the speed of a slow walk through a very cold garden. 🥀

The movie starts with the Baroness, played by Maria Jacobini, getting ready for a ball. Her husband is... well, he’s a bit of a bummer to be honest.

He is described as gloomy, but I think he just looks like he needs a very long nap. He barely looks at her while she’s putting on this incredible dress with all these feathers on it.

Then her little son comes in and calls her "Maman Colibri," which means Mother Hummingbird. It’s probably the sweetest part of the whole movie, though it feels a little sad because you know she’s about to go look for attention somewhere else.

The dress is really the star of the first twenty minutes. I found myself squinting at the screen just to see how they attached all those feathers without them falling off during the dance scenes.

Maria Jacobini has this way of looking into the mirror where you can see her entire life story in about five seconds. She doesn't need to say anything, which is good because, you know, it's a silent movie. 😶

There is a scene at the ball where the lighting gets really soft and fuzzy. It reminded me a bit of the atmosphere in The Fall of the House of Usher, but much less scary and more like a dream you don't want to wake up from.

The way the camera follows her through the crowd is a bit shaky, but it feels real. Like someone was actually there tripping over people's feet to get the shot.

I noticed one guy in the background of the ball scene who looked like he was genuinely bored out of his mind. He’s just leaning against a pillar, probably wondering when the catering was going to show up.

The movie gets a bit heavy once the romance starts to kick in. You can feel the desperation in her character, which makes the whole thing feel a bit heavy on the chest.

It’s a lot more grounded than something like The Beauty Shop. There’s a weight to it that stays with you even after the screen goes black.

I did find myself wondering why the husband was so grumpy all the time. The movie doesn't really explain it, he’s just born gloomy I guess.

Some of the shots of the house are so big and empty. It makes her feel even smaller, like she's a literal bird trapped in a giant stone cage. 🕊️

There’s a moment where she’s just sitting by a window and the shadows are doing all the work. It’s way more effective than any of the big dramatic speeches I've seen in modern movies lately.

I think I liked this more than Le torrent, mostly because the "Hummingbird" nickname gives it a bit of a heart. It’s not just about people being miserable; it’s about a woman trying to find a reason to smile.

The pacing drags a bit in the middle when they’re just talking and talking (in text boxes). I found myself checking my phone once or twice, I won't lie.

But the ending has this weird, quiet energy that felt very honest. It didn't try to wrap everything up in a neat little bow with a happy song.

If you've ever felt like your partner was ignoring your new outfit, this movie will hit you right in the feels. It’s a beautiful, slightly dusty relic that still has some life left in it.

Is it a masterpiece? Maybe not, but it's better than half the stuff that came out in the late twenties. It has a soul, and that's more than I can say for The Crown of Lies.

Final thought: I really need a feather-trimmed dress now. Even if I have nowhere to wear it but my living room. 💃