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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Last of Mrs. Cheyney remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for early 'talkies' where everyone talks like they have a mouthful of marbles, you should watch this. It is a perfect choice for a rainy Sunday when you want to see rich people in 1920s outfits being incredibly dramatic about jewelry.
Action fans will absolutely hate it. It is basically just people standing in rooms and talking until your ears ring.
Norma Shearer plays Fay Cheyney, a 'widow' who is actually a high-society burglar. She is so radiant in this that you almost forget she is technically the villain for most of the runtime. 💎
The camera doesn't move much. It feels like the director was afraid if they moved the tripod, the whole sound equipment would explode.
There is this one scene where Fay is trying to steal the pearls and the tension is supposed to be high. But the silence is so long it starts to feel like the actors forgot their lines.
Basil Rathbone shows up as Lord Arthur Dilling. He has that sharp, pointy face that just screams 'I know you are lying to me.'
I noticed that the extras in the party scenes look genuinely confused about where to stand. They just sort of drift around in the background like ghosts in tuxedos.
It reminds me a bit of A Self-Made Widow, but with more expensive furniture. The dialogue is very 'theatrical' because it was based on a play, and you can tell.
Some of the jokes actually land, though. There is a bit about a butler that made me chuckle out loud, which I didn't expect from a movie made in 1929. 😂
The sound quality is... well, it's 1929. Every time someone moves their dress, it sounds like a bag of potato chips being crushed.
I found myself staring at the hats more than the plot. Hedda Hopper is in this too, and her hats are basically architectural marvels.
It's not as fast-paced as something like The Charming Deceiver. It takes its sweet time getting to the point.
The ending feels a bit rushed, like they realized they were running out of film. Everyone just sort of forgives each other because they are all fancy and polite. 🙄
It is a weird little time capsule. You can feel the movie trying to figure out how to be a 'sound film' while still clinging to silent movie gestures.
If you like seeing how Hollywood transitioned from silents to sound, this is a fun watch. Just don't expect a heist movie with a lot of running around.
It’s mostly just vibes and very expensive-looking pearls. 🦪
IMDb —
1916
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