Straight from the Heart: A 1935 relic that’s surprisingly earnest

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for 1930s sentimentality, you’ll probably find something to love here. If you prefer your dramas to have a bit more edge or, you know, actual stakes, you’ll be bored out of your mind. Honestly, this is for the folks who like their black-and-white films with a heavy dose of 'aww' and not too much heavy lifting.

Mary Astor is basically the only reason this thing holds together. She’s got that specific way of looking at people that makes you feel like she’s actually listening, which is a nice break from the overacting you get in most movies from this period.

There’s this one sequence with the little girl, played by Juanita Quigley, that goes on for about three minutes too long. You can almost feel the director hoping for a teary eye, but it just ends up feeling like a home movie that accidentally made it into the final cut.

The pacing is… well, it’s 1935. It moves at the speed of a leisurely walk on a Sunday afternoon. Sometimes that’s nice. Sometimes I found myself checking my phone to see if my laundry was done.

It’s not quite as sharp as It Happened One Night, which really set the bar way too high for everyone else in that decade. It lacks that zip, that snap, that genuine cleverness. This one just wants to be a hug.

Odd bits and pieces:

• The lighting in the kitchen scenes is weirdly aggressive. Everyone looks like they’re being interrogated.
• The side characters seem to be having a contest to see who can look most confused in the background of every shot.
• I swear the same prop lamp shows up in at least four different rooms.

There’s a moment toward the end where everything gets wrapped up so neatly it’s almost offensive. It’s like the writers just got tired of the drama and decided that everything should be fine, actually. No notes, no follow-up, just 'here’s your happy ending, see ya later.'

It’s a fine film to have on in the background while you’re doing something else. You won’t miss much if you glance away for ten minutes to make a sandwich. Actually, making a sandwich might be more engaging than the third act.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even a particularly good movie by modern standards. But it’s got heart. Sometimes, that’s all I’m really looking for anyway. 🎬