I watched a 1930s celebrity home movie and it was weirdly cozy

Is it worth the ten minutes?

If you have a soft spot for the Golden Age of Hollywood and just want to see what these people looked like when they weren't wearing five pounds of stage makeup, then yes. It is worth it.

Most people will probably hate it because there is absolutely no plot. It’s just a series of clips showing famous people relaxing.

If you are looking for a deep story like The Dark Star, you are going to be very disappointed. This is just vibes and sun hats. ☀️

I found this little short while digging through some old archives. It’s directed by Ralph Staub, who apparently made a whole career out of just filming stars being regular humans.

The first thing that hits you is how normal everyone looks. Well, normal for 1931.

Pola Negri is there at Palm Springs, and she has this incredibly stiff way of standing. It’s like she’s still posing for a silent film poster even when she’s supposed to be on vacation.

Then you have Barbara Stanwyck playing golf. She looks genuinely focused on the ball.

I love how the camera just lingers on her swing for a second too long. It feels like the cameraman was waiting for her to do something big, but she just... walks away.

Ricardo Cortez is there too, looking very dapper for a guy hitting a tiny ball into a hole. You can tell some of these people really hated having the camera follow them to the resort.

There is a segment at Malibu Beach that feels strangely empty. Today, Malibu is packed, but here it looks like a private wasteland with a few fancy umbrellas.

Mack Sennett shows up, and he looks exactly like you’d expect a guy who invented slapstick to look. A bit tired, maybe?

It’s funny to see someone like Bebe Daniels just hanging out. You forget these people had lives outside of the flickering light on a theater screen.

The quality of the film is a bit grainy, which I actually liked. It makes the whole thing feel more authentic, like you found a secret reel in your grandpa's attic.

There is no sound for some of it, or the music is just sort of looping in the background. It creates this dreamlike feeling of watching a ghost town that’s still alive.

I kept thinking about Annapolis while watching the beach scenes. I don't know why, maybe just the way the water looks in black and white.

Some of the fashion is honestly bizarre. The men are wearing pants that come up to their chests.

The women have these hats that look like they could catch a satellite signal if satellites existed back then. 📡

The Small Stuff

• One lady in the background of the Malibu shot is clearly trying to hide from the camera.
• The way Ricardo Cortez holds his golf club is definitely not professional.
• The sand looks incredibly white and untouched.
• Pola Negri’s eyes are just as intense in real life as they are in the movies.

Is this high art? No.

Is it better than watching a modern reality show? Probably.

There’s a moment where Mitzi Green is just being a kid, and it reminded me of the simple energy in Pay Day. Just people existing in a moment that’s long gone.

I found myself wondering what they were talking about. Since you can't hear them, you have to guess based on their hand gestures.

Most of the time they just look like they want to get back to their drinks. 🍸

The editing is pretty jumpy. It’ll go from a golf course to a beach with no warning at all.

It’s not trying to be a masterpiece, and that’s why I liked it. It’s just a snapshot, exactly like the title says.

I wish there was more footage of the actual resort buildings. The architecture in the background looks fascinating, but the camera is obsessed with the actors.

I guess that was the point. People in 1931 wanted to see the stars, not the stucco.

If you’re a film nerd, it’s a cool bit of history. If you’re not, it’s a great way to fall asleep for ten minutes.

I didn't feel like I wasted my time, but I probably won't watch it again until I'm eighty. It has a very specific nostalgic weight to it.

Watching this feels a bit like being a voyeur. But a polite one from the future.

It’s weirdly comforting to know that even the biggest stars in the world once just sat on a beach and looked bored. 🌊

Anyway, it’s short. It’s sweet. It’s got Barbara Stanwyck in a hat.

What else do you really need on a Tuesday afternoon?