The Red Mark (1928) Review: A Weirdly Grim Silent Movie

If you have an hour or so and want to see a movie that feels like a fever dream in a swamp, The Red Mark is actually worth your time. It’s a silent film from 1928, so if you hate reading title cards or can't stand the lack of explosions, you’ll probably be bored out of your mind. 🙄

But for people who like weirdly dark melodramas with high stakes, this is a hidden gem. It takes place in a French penal colony in New Caledonia, and man, you can almost feel the humidity through the screen.

The whole thing centers around a guillotine. It’s not just a prop; it’s like a character that everyone is terrified of, and for good reason.

Gustav von Seyffertitz plays the executioner, and he is just... wow. He has this face that looks like it was carved out of a very grumpy tree, and he spends most of the movie looking like he wants to chop someone's head off just for fun. 🪓

He’s in love with Zelie, played by Nina Quartero. She’s great, though she does that thing silent actors do where she looks extremely shocked at every minor inconvenience.

Then there’s the hero, Gaston Glass, who is a convict. He’s also in love with her, which creates a love triangle where the loser doesn't just get dumped—they get executed. Talk about pressure.

There is a scene where they are all standing near the guillotine and the lighting is just perfect. It’s way grittier than something like Little Women from around that time. 😬

The movie is directed by James Cruze. He usually did big epics, but here he keeps things tight and sweaty, which works for a prison movie.

I noticed the background extras look like they actually live in a penal colony. They aren't just pretty people in costumes; they look tired and dirty.

Eugene Pallette shows up too. He’s usually the funny guy, but here he’s just part of the grim scenery. It's weird seeing him without his iconic scratchy voice (since it's silent, obviously).

The middle of the movie drags a tiny bit when they focus too much on the romance. I found myself wanting to get back to the creepy executioner and his weird obsession with his job. 🏚️

One shot of the blade reflecting the sun actually made me blink. It’s a simple trick but it works better than a lot of CGI today.

Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. It’s a bit more melodramatic than Ramshackle House, and the ending feels a little bit rushed, like they ran out of film and had to wrap it up in five minutes.

But the tension is real. You really don't know who is going to end up under that blade until the very last second.

The print I saw was a bit scratchy, which honestly added to the vibe. It felt like watching something you weren't supposed to find in a dusty basement. 🎞️

If you like seeing how directors handled horror-adjacent themes before the Hays Code got super strict, check this one out. It’s got a mean streak that makes it feel much younger than it actually is.

Just don't expect a happy-go-lucky time. It's a movie about a prison colony, after all. ⛓️