Pagan Lady (1931) - Evelyn Brent is way too cool for this island

If you have about an hour and a half and want to see what 'scandalous' looked like in 1931, you should probably give this a watch. It is perfect for anyone who likes those Pre-Code movies where the women actually have some backbone and aren't just there to look pretty. If you hate slow, talky dramas where the sound quality is a bit fuzzy, you’ll probably want to skip it.

I watched this last night while it was raining outside, and it felt like the right vibe. Evelyn Brent plays Dot Hunter, the 'Pagan Lady.' She runs a bar on some unnamed tropical island where everyone looks like they need a long shower. 🧴

She has this way of leaning against a doorframe that makes everyone else in the scene look like they are trying way too hard. She’s got a reputation for being 'easy,' but really, she just seems bored with the men on the island. Most of them are just there to drink and sweat through their shirts.

Then we get the 'fire-and-brimstone' preacher and his son, Ernest. Ernest is played by Conrad Nagel, who looks like he’s never had a drop of rum in his entire life. He’s very stiff, but I think that is the point. He’s the opposite of everything Dot knows. ⛪

The story kicks in when Ernest falls for her. He doesn’t just want a night with her; he wants to marry her. This clearly messes with Dot's head because nobody has ever offered her a 'respectable' life before.

There is this one scene in the bar where the lighting is just... weird. It’s supposed to be night, but you can see the shadows of the studio lights on the back wall. It didn't ruin it for me, but it made me realize how much work they had to do back then with such clunky equipment.

I really liked Charles Bickford in this. He plays the guy who thinks he owns Dot. He has a voice like gravel in a blender, and he just radiates 'bad news' every time he walks onto the screen. He reminds me a bit of the tough guys in West of Broadway, just more mean-spirited.

The island itself feels very fake, but in a charming way. You can tell they just threw a bunch of palm fronds on a soundstage and called it a day. It has that same sort of artificial atmosphere you see in Ocean Swells, where the 'ocean' is probably just a tank of water ten feet away.

Some random notes I took:

• The preacher's hat is way too big for his head. It’s distracting.
• Evelyn Brent’s eye makeup is incredible. She looks like she hasn't slept in three days, and it totally works for the character.
• There is a scene with a ceiling fan that sounds like a helicopter. I don't know if that was intentional or just 1931 audio issues.
• The way they talk about 'sin' is so heavy-handed it almost becomes funny.

The middle part of the movie drags a little bit. There is a lot of talking about feelings and morals that goes on for about five minutes too long. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you that this is a very serious moral lesson. 🙄

It’s not as fast-paced as something like Bad Sister, but it has more 'atmosphere.' You can almost smell the cheap gin and the salt air through the screen. Or maybe that was just my kitchen. Anyway.

One thing that really stuck with me was the ending. It doesn't go exactly where you think it will. Or maybe it does, but the way Dot reacts to the proposal feels very real. She isn't just happy; she’s scared. It’s a nice bit of acting that you don't always get in these old 'melodramas.'

If you've seen Let Us Be Gay, you know how these social dramas can get a bit preachy. This one avoids that mostly because Evelyn Brent is so grounded. She doesn't let the movie get too sentimental.

I noticed a couple of extras in the background of the bar scene who were just staring at the camera. One guy is just holding a mug and not moving at all for like thirty seconds. It’s hilarious if you catch it. 🍺

Is it a masterpiece? No. It’s a bit messy and the pacing is all over the place. But it’s got a lot of heart and the 'Pagan Lady' herself is a great character. She’s much more interesting than the guys fighting over her.

I’d say it’s a solid watch if you’re into film history or just want to see a woman in 1931 tell a preacher to mind his own business. It’s got that gritty Pre-Code energy that disappeared once the censors got their hands on everything a few years later.

"I'm not a lady, and I'm definitely not a saint." - Dot (probably, I'm paraphrasing but that was the vibe)

The lighting in the final scene is actually pretty good. They use these deep shadows to show how conflicted Dot is. It’s a lot more subtle than the rest of the movie. It’s weird how some parts look cheap and then suddenly it looks like a real piece of art. 🎨

Anyway, if you find a good copy of this, give it a go. Just don't expect a fast-paced thriller. It’s a slow burn about a woman trying to figure out if she wants to be 'good' or if being 'bad' was just more honest.