The Very Idea (1929) Review: A Wild Ride Through Old Hollywood's Oddest Obsessions

Alright, so we need to talk about The Very Idea. If you're a film historian or just someone utterly fascinated by the *stranger* corners of early cinema, yeah, you might find this worth a peek. For pretty much everyone else looking for a Friday night movie? Absolutely not. You'll likely hate it. It’s a curio, a fossil, a movie that makes you tilt your head and wonder, “What were they thinking?” 😬

The whole thing hinges on a eugenics expert, Professor Fanning, played by Frank Craven. He’s got this grand plan to improve humanity, you know? And his barren sister and her husband are the perfect test subjects, apparently. His idea? Get their chauffeur and maid, who he deems prime examples of 'thoroughbreds,' to, uh, have a baby for them. It’s as bonkers as it sounds, truly.

Craven, bless him, delivers his lines with such an _earnest_ conviction. He’s not a villain, not really. He’s just a guy who *really* believes in his scientific theories. That's what makes it so unsettling, honestly. You're watching this man talk about breeding humans like prize-winning horses, and he’s just so… matter-of-fact.

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

The film is an early talkie, so you get all the delightful quirks that come with that era. Static camera work, actors often rooted to one spot, and dialogue, dialogue, dialogue. The sound quality isn't exactly crisp, which sometimes adds to the surreal, dreamlike quality of it all.

One scene, I remember, where Fanning is explaining his grand vision to the couple. He paces a bit, but mostly it's just exposition. You can almost feel the stage play roots of this thing, like they just plunked a camera down and filmed a theatrical performance. The jokes land with a thud more often than not, at least to modern ears. But it’s not entirely the film’s fault; societal norms, right?

The casting of the chauffeur (Allen Kearns) and maid (Doris Eaton) as these supposed "thoroughbreds" is a specific detail that sticks with you. They’re presented as attractive, healthy, and, crucially, *uncomplicated*. Their simple, working-class background is almost played for laughs, in a way that feels a bit patronizing now. They just go along with this wild scheme, mostly.

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

There's a moment where the maid, Eaton, is trying to understand the whole eugenics thing. She has this slightly bewildered, almost vacant look. It's not a stellar performance, but that particular expression kinda sums up the audience's feeling watching the whole thing unfold. _"Wait, are they serious?"_

Pacing is… well, it’s 1929. Things move at a leisurely stroll. The silence, when it comes, isn't always intentional. Sometimes it just feels like the actors are waiting for their cue, or the sound engineer fell asleep. It's not _bad_ necessarily, just very different from what we're used to.

The film tries really hard to be a comedy. There are misunderstandings, a bit of romantic intrigue between the chauffeur and maid themselves (surprise, surprise, they actually *like* each other!). And the ending attempts to tie things up with a neat little bow, a sudden reversal of fortunes, which feels a little too convenient after all the weirdness.

It’s hard to watch without thinking about the larger, very dark history of eugenics. The film doesn't exactly advocate for it, but it certainly treats the idea with a surprising amount of casualness. It’s almost like they wanted to poke fun at the _excesses_ of the idea, but the core premise itself is still so troubling. One reaction shot from the sister, Olive Tell, when the plan is first laid out, she just looks utterly flabbergasted. You know, like, *"My brother just said what now?"* That's probably the most relatable moment in the whole movie.

So, should you seek out The Very Idea? Probably not for a casual watch. But if you’re into the historical context, the awkward beauty of early sound, or just want to see something truly _odd_ from Hollywood’s past, then sure. It's a snapshot, a weird little time capsule that shows us what passed for a lighthearted comedy way back when. You’ll definitely be talking about it afterward, even if it’s mostly to say, "Can you believe that?" 🤔