The Dreyfus Case (1931) Review: Stiff but oddly angry history

Is it worth the watch?

If you like old movies where people stand very still and talk very loudly, yes.

History buffs will probably find it fascinating because of how close it was filmed to the actual events. People who need explosions and fast editing like Captain Alvarez should probably skip this one. 😴

It’s a talky movie. Like, really talky.

But the story is so messed up that it keeps you awake. It’s about a guy named Alfred Dreyfus who gets blamed for treason just because people didn't like where he came from. It's frustrating to watch, which I guess is the point.

The movie starts with a lot of military guys looking very serious in fancy hats. Honestly, the hats in this movie are spectacular. Everyone has a different shape of headgear that looks impossible to balance. 🎩

George Skillan plays Dreyfus and he looks like he hasn't slept in three years. His face is just... heavy. When he’s being accused, he doesn't scream or do big movie acting. He just looks numb.

There is this one specific moment where they strip him of his rank in front of everyone. They literally rip the gold braid off his sleeves and snap his sword over a knee. It’s quiet, and you can hear the fabric tearing. It felt way more violent than a punch would have.

The sound quality is that classic 1931 crackle. Every time someone says a word with an 'S', it sounds like a snake is hiding behind the camera. 🐍

It’s a bit like Applause in that way, where you can tell the technology was still a bit of a struggle for them. The camera just sits there most of the time. It’s like the director was afraid if they moved it, the whole set would fall down.

The courtroom scenes are the meat of the movie. It’s a lot of finger-pointing. One guy has a mustache that is so long it actually distracts from his testimony. I spent five minutes wondering if it was real or if they just glued a cat's tail to his lip.

I noticed a weird thing with the extras in the crowd. In the back, there’s a guy who keeps looking directly at the lens. He looks like he’s wondering when lunch is. It’s those little human mistakes that make these old films feel alive to me.

The movie gets much better when it stops being a military procedural and starts being about the injustice of it all. You can feel the anger. It’s not a polished, polite movie. It’s a movie that wants you to be mad.

Cedric Hardwicke shows up and he’s great, as usual. He has this way of looking disappointed that makes you feel like you personally did something wrong. He’s much better here than in some of those lighter things like Appearances.

The pacing is a bit of a disaster. It goes from zero to sixty and then hits a wall. Some scenes feel like they were edited with a meat cleaver. One minute he’s in a room, the next he’s on Devil’s Island. 🏝️

Speaking of Devil's Island, the set for the prison looks like it was made of leftover cardboard. But the lighting is so dark you can barely tell. They used shadows to hide the budget, and it actually works. It feels lonely.

I kept thinking about how relevant the hate in the crowd felt. It’s 1931, and they’re filming a story about 1894, but it feels like it could be yesterday. The way people just believe a lie because it’s easier than the truth. It's a bit of a downer, honestly.

There’s a bit of a tangent about a letter—the 'bordereau'—and they talk about handwriting for what feels like an hour. Unless you are a professional calligrapher, you might want to check your phone during this part. It’s very dry.

But then someone yells, and the drama kicks back in. The movie is at its best when it’s loud and messy. When the characters stop being soldiers and start being humans who are scared or lying.

It’s not as fun as Swing Bad the Sailor, obviously. It’s a heavy meal. You have to be in the mood for it.

The ending feels like they ran out of money. It just kind of stops. But I think I prefer that to a long, sappy ending where everyone hugs. Dreyfus doesn't look happy at the end. He just looks like a guy who wants to go home and sit in a dark room.

I’d give it a watch if you’re bored of modern movies that explain everything three times. This movie expects you to keep up. Even if the sound is fuzzy and the acting is stiff as a board.

Just don't expect a masterpiece. It's a solid, angry piece of history that’s worth a look if only to see those incredible hats one more time.