The Russell Affair (1928) is a weird, dusty relic

You should probably only watch this if you are a die-hard fan of silent movies or if you really like Australian history. Most people today will find it way too slow and confusing. If you want a fast plot, this is definitely not for you. 🎞️

It’s a crime story, I think. Or at least there is a crime at the middle of it.

The whole thing is about a girl who covers for her brother. He does something bad and she says "it was me" even though it wasn't. It is that classic old-school noble sacrifice thing that feels kind of annoying now.

I watched this late at night and the flickering screen almost put me to sleep. But there are some cool shots of old cars and hats.

Fred Twitchin is in this. Honestly, that is such a great name for an actor. He has this very intense way of looking at people that feels a bit much.

There is one part where a character is reading a letter. The camera stays on the letter for so long I actually read it twice. It felt like the movie forgot to move on. ✉️

The director is Gaston Mervale and he also plays a part in the movie. He seems to like being on camera because his scenes go on forever.

I liked the fashion though. Everyone looks very fancy even when they are supposed to be stressed out.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Russell Affair (1928) through its definitive frames.

It reminded me a little bit of Wild Oranges but without the same kind of creepy energy. It’s much more of a standard drama.

The writing by Juliette De La Ruze is okay for the time. But the title cards sometimes explain things that we just saw happen on screen. We don't need to be told someone is sad when they are literally crying into a handkerchief. 😭

There is a scene in a garden that looks really nice. The lighting is actually pretty good there, even if the rest of the film is a bit muddy looking.

I noticed a dog in one shot that looked like it was just wandering onto the set. It didn't have anything to do with the plot but I liked it more than some of the actors.

It’s not as exciting as The Red Viper. That one has a bit more teeth to it than this.

The ending feels very rushed. Everything just kind of fixes itself in about two minutes. It makes you wonder why they spent an hour worrying about it in the first place.

Is it a masterpiece? No way. But it’s a strange little window into what people in 1928 thought was dramatic. 🇦🇺

If you like old stuff, it’s worth a look just to see the locations. Otherwise, you can probably skip it and not miss much.