Storm in a Water Glass (1931) - A very tiny problem becomes a big one

You should probably watch this if you have a soft spot for dogs or old European movies where everyone wears a hat even just to go across the street. It is a good pick for a rainy afternoon when you don't want to think too hard but still want something that feels real.

If you hate old movies where the audio sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can, you might want to skip it. But honestly, you would be missing out on a lot of heart.

The whole movie is basically about a dog tax. Yes, a dog tax.

Frau Vogel is a flower seller and she has this little dog named Toni. She can't pay the money the city wants, so the local big-shot politician decides to take the dog away.

It sounds like a really small thing to make a movie about. But that is why it works so well, I think.

The politician is running for burgomaster and he is such a snob. You can tell he thinks he is way more important than he actually is.

Hansi Niese plays the flower lady and she is just wonderful. She has this way of looking annoyed that feels like my grandmother when the mail is late.

She doesn't try to be a hero. She just wants her dog back.

Then you have Hedy Lamarr, who was still going by Hedy Kiesler back then. She is playing the politician's daughter, and even though she doesn't have the lead role, you can't stop looking at her.

She has this glow even in the fuzzy black and white footage. It's weird to see her here before she became a massive star in things like The Huntress of Men.

The movie feels a bit like a play that someone accidentally filmed on the street. People walk in and out of rooms and talk really fast.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Storm in a Water Glass (1931) through its definitive frames.

Sometimes the camera just stays still for a long time. It makes you feel like you are sitting in the room with them, maybe hiding behind a chair.

There is a scene in an office where three men are arguing about the dog and the legal papers. It goes on for a bit too long, but the way they wave their hands around is kind of funny.

I noticed a guy in the background of one street scene who just stops and stares at the actors. He looks totally confused. I love stuff like that.

It reminds me of how messy real life is compared to movies today where everything is perfect. This isn't trying to be a big statement like U 9 Weddigen or anything heavy.

It is just a storm in a water glass. A tiny bit of drama that feels like the end of the world to the people involved.

Why it actually works

• The dog is actually a very good actor and looks genuinely sad when he's taken away.
• The costumes are so thick and heavy you can almost smell the wool.
• It makes fun of politicians in a way that still feels true today.

The pacing gets a bit slow in the middle. I found myself looking at the wallpaper in the background of the sets more than the actors for a minute or two.

But then someone says something witty and it pulls you back in. The dialogue has this sharp rhythm to it.

I think the ending is a bit rushed, to be honest. Everything gets fixed a little too easily, but I guess people in 1931 wanted a happy ending just as much as we do.

It is a lot lighter than something like Made in Heaven, which is fine by me. Sometimes you just want to see a lady win a fight against a mean guy in a suit.

• The way the burgomaster touches his mustache when he's nervous.
• The flower baskets actually look heavy, not like empty props.
• There's a lot of shouting, but it's friendly shouting?
• Hedy's hat in the garden scene is absolutely enormous.

It is not a masterpiece that will change your life. But it's a very sweet way to spend ninety minutes.

If you like seeing how people used to live and what made them laugh a hundred years ago, give it a shot. It's better than half the stuff on TV right now anyway.

Just don't expect any explosions. Unless you count the burgomaster's temper. 🐕