Tenth Avenue (1928) is a weirdly stressful silent drama about rent

Is it worth a watch?

If you like old movies that feel a bit dirty and cramped, then yeah, put this on. It is perfect for people who like silent-era crime stuff that isn't just guys in big hats shooting each other.

But if you hate slow-moving plots about people worrying over money, you will probably be bored out of your mind. 😴

The whole thing takes place mostly in this rooming house on 10th Avenue. It’s the kind of place where you can almost feel the dust on the lens.

Phyllis Haver plays Lyla, and she’s great. She has this way of looking at her ledger that makes you feel the weight of every cent she owes.

She isn't just a damsel. She’s a business owner, even if the business is just renting rooms to losers.

Then you have the two guys, Bob and Joe. Bob is played by Victor Varconi, and he’s the "ex-gambler" who is trying to be good.

Joe, played by Joseph Schildkraut, is a total snake. I hated him from the second he showed up on screen.

He has this shifty way of moving his eyes. He looks like he’s constantly looking for a pocket to pick or a back to stab. 🐍

The movie gets going because Lyla is about to get evicted. It is a very relatable problem, even today.

Bob decides the only way to save her is to go back to the gambling tables. It reminds me of the desperation you see in The Winning Stroke, but much darker.

There is this one scene at the gambling table that goes on for a while. The smoke in the room feels thick, even though it's a silent movie.

You see the sweat on the guys' faces. It’s not glamorous at all.

Then we meet Fink. He’s a bootlegger and he’s basically just a walking bag of money.

Fink has this weird habit of tapping his fingers on his desk. It’s a tiny detail, but it makes him seem so annoying that you almost don't mind when he gets killed. 🔪

The murder happens in his room, and the movie suddenly feels like a horror film for a minute. The shadows on the hallway walls are stretched out and creepy.

Joe is the one who did it, of course. He kills Fink to get the rent money for Lyla, but he’s not doing it to be a hero.

He’s doing it to own her. It’s gross.

The way he tries to frame Bob is so fast and mean. He doesn't even blink when he plants the evidence.

I noticed that Joe’s suit always looks a little bit too sharp compared to everyone else. Like he’s trying too hard to look like a big shot.

The midle of the movie drags a bit when they are all sitting around being suspicious. It feels like they could have cut about ten minutes of people just looking at each other.

But the tension in the rooming house is real. You feel how small those rooms are.

It’s similar to the vibe in Set Free, where everything feels a bit trapped. 🏚️

The big climax happens when Lyla starts to suspect Joe. She’s smarter than both these guys put together.

She sets a trap with the detectives hiding in the other room. The way the camera stays on her face while she talks to Joe is intense.

You can see her hands shaking slightly. It’s a really human moment that you don't always get in these old silents.

Joe’s confession is kind of pathetic. He’s not a mastermind; he’s just a scared little guy who made a mess.

When he realizes he’s caught, he tries to run. The chase is short but it feels desperate.

He gets shot and dies in Lyla’s arms. It’s very dramatic and maybe a bit too much, but that was the style back then.

The way he falls is a bit funny, actually. He kind of collapses like a folding chair.

I liked that the movie didn't try to make him a misunderstood rebel. He was just a jerk.

The ending with Bob and Lyla is supposed to be happy. They are standing together and the future looks okay.

But you still feel like they’re probably going to struggle with the rent next month too. Life on Tenth Avenue doesn't just get easy because one guy died.

It’s a solid little flick. It doesn't have the scale of something like De Voortrekkers, but it works because it stays small.

One thing that bothered me was the lighting in the final scene. It felt a bit too bright compared to the rest of the movie.

Also, Bob’s hat is ridiculous. It’s way too big for his head. 🎩

But overall, it’s a good way to spend an hour. It feels like a real slice of 1920s New York grit.

I’d watch it again just for Phyllis Haver’s performance. She really carries the whole thing on her shoulders.

The title cards are a bit dry, though. They could have had more punch.

Anyway, if you find a good copy of it, give it a go. Just don't expect a masterpiece. It's just a good, dirty story.