Susanne Makes Order: A Charming, If Fussy, Old Gem? 🤔

Okay, "Susanne macht Ordnung." Is this something you should dig up and watch today? For sure, if you’re a real devotee of really old cinema, especially German stuff from that early era. There's a certain quiet charm to it, almost like opening a dusty old photo album. But look, if your idea of a good movie involves things blowing up or characters quipping witty lines every five seconds, you're going to find this a bit of a snoozefest. This one's for the patient ones, the film history buffs, the folks who appreciate a slower burn. 🔥

The plot, such as it is, follows Susanne (played with a sort of stern grace by Maria Forescu) as she tries to impose some semblance of order on her world. Her home, her family, maybe even the general vibe of her neighborhood. It's not a grand epic. More like a series of small, domestic skirmishes against life's little messes. And wow, she really puts in the effort. You can just see it.

There's this moment in the kitchen, right at the start. Total chaos. A pot boiling over, something clattering to the floor, a small dog — or maybe it was a cat? — weaving through legs. Susanne just pauses, one hand on her hip, taking it all in. No big scream, no dramatic sigh. Just this *look* on her face. A silent, steeling resolve. It's a small thing, but it tells you everything about her.

And then there's S.Z. Sakall! What a treat to spot him here, so early in his career, before he was *the* go-to lovable nervous guy in Hollywood. He plays someone a bit flustered, maybe a distant cousin or a very put-upon neighbor. You can already see glimmers of that charming, slightly bewildered energy. A quick eye-roll, a little fidget. It’s almost like he’s practicing his later roles. Very cool.

The film just... ambles along. It doesn't rush. You follow Susanne as she meticulously folds laundry, then tries to smooth over a squabble between a baker (I think it was Ferdinand Asper?) and a very picky customer at the market. No huge plot twists here. Just everyday life, unfolding. Which, for an old film, is its own kind of special.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Susanne macht Ordnung (1930) through its definitive frames.

You do start to wonder if Susanne's quest for order is even achievable. The world, it seems, has its own stubborn way of being a bit chaotic. Like that neighbor, played by Senta Söneland, who just seems to *revel* in a bit of playful disarray. Her smile, even when things are a delightful mess, is quite infectious. She’s the anti-Susanne, in a way, but they seem to tolerate each other.

There's a sequence where she’s trying to organize everyone for a group photograph. It's a simple premise, right? But the sheer physical comedy of it, her patient but firm gestures. One person keeps blinking. Another just won't look at the camera. It feels so familiar, like herding cats. You find yourself chuckling at her exasperation. The camera just lingers on her face sometimes, and you just get it.

The ending doesn't give you some grand, sweeping conclusion. It’s more like a quiet exhale. "Okay, we got *some* things tidied up, for now." It doesn’t try to wrap everything into a neat little package, which honestly, is kinda refreshing for a movie from this time. It just... *ends*. A little abruptly, even. Like life itself, maybe?

So yeah, it’s a little slice of life, a peek into filmmaking from almost a century ago. It’s not a roller coaster. It’s a gentle stroll. If you’re curious about how movies used to tell stories, how they found drama in the small things, then "Susanne macht Ordnung" could be a pleasant, understated watch. Otherwise, you might wanna look at One Week if you want some real old-school slapstick chaos. Different vibe completely.

Didja notice? 🤔

• Maria Forescu’s really intense glare. She could stop a train with that look.
• Someone *always* leaves a door ajar, like it’s a running gag. Susanne always, always closes it.
• There's this one potted plant that just keeps migrating across scenes. It's almost a character.
• S.Z. Sakall's early, proto-nervous fidget. It’s definitely there!
• The film stock has this surprisingly beautiful, almost painterly quality in the outdoor shots. So delicate.
• A random chicken just crosses the street in one background shot. Nobody even reacts. So wonderfully random.