The Rainbow (1929) - A bit of a dusty drama

If you have a thing for movies where people stare intensely at letters for way too long, you might actually like this. Otherwise, you'll probably find The Rainbow to be a bit of a chore to get through. It’s for the folks who really dig that transition period in film history where everything felt a little awkward.

Lawrence Gray plays this guy coming back from the war, and honestly, he looks like he's constantly trying to remember if he left the stove on. He’s fine, I guess, but he doesn't have much to do besides look haunted and confused. It reminds me a bit of the vibe in The Dark Swan, but with less polish.

The real reason to even look at this is Dorothy Sebastian. She has these eyes that just seem to hold all the sadness in the world, which is perfect for this kind of story. I liked her much better in Sally, Irene and Mary, but she still brings something special here. Even when the script is being totally ridiculous, she sells it.

There is this one scene in a garden where the lighting is actually kind of pretty. But then a character walks in and the shadow they cast is so big it basically swallows the whole set. It made me laugh, even though the scene was supposed to be heartbreaking. 🎬

Paul Hurst shows up as the comic relief, or at least I think he’s supposed to be funny. He has this way of walking that makes it look like his boots are two sizes too small. He’s a bit much, but at least he wakes the movie up whenever he’s on screen.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Rainbow (1929) through its definitive frames.

The plot is one of those things where if everyone just talked for five minutes, the movie would be over in half an hour. But instead, they keep secrets and make weird faces at each other across dinner tables. It gets a bit exhausting after the first hour.

I noticed a weird bit of continuity where a glass of water on a table keeps moving around between shots. It’s the kind of thing you only notice because the dialogue is so dry that your eyes start wandering. It's definitely not as tight as something like Exit Smiling.

There’s a lot of focus on 'duty' and 'honor' which feels very 1920s. It’s the kind of stuff that probably felt very heavy back then, but now it just feels a bit silly. Especially when the music gets all dramatic for no reason.

One of the kids in the movie has a haircut that is honestly a crime against humanity. I couldn't stop looking at it during the big emotional climax. It’s those little things that stick with you more than the actual story, you know?

The ending feels like they ran out of film and just decided to wrap everything up in about two minutes. It’s not very satisfying, but by that point, I was ready to go make a sandwich anyway. It’s not a bad movie, it’s just very... present. Like a piece of old furniture you don't want to throw away but don't really use.

If you're a completionist for this era, go for it. If not, maybe just go watch Prem Sanyas or something with a bit more meat on its bones. 🤷‍♂️