The Woman from Hell (1929) - Mary Astor in a Lighthouse

If you're in the mood for some old-school melodrama that doesn't quite know if it wants to be a thriller or a romance, The Woman from Hell is worth a look today.

It’s perfect for anyone who likes Mary Astor or just enjoys the vibe of 1920s seaside resorts.

If you hate slow-moving plots where people spend a lot of time looking at waves, you’ll probably find this one a bit of a chore.

The whole thing starts at this beach resort which feels weirdly dirty and loud.

Dee (Mary Astor) is literally playing the "Devil" in a concession stand, which is such a strange way to introduce a lead character.

There’s this barker named Slick Glicks—what a name, right?—who tells the locals they get a kiss if they catch her.

I found myself wondering how many people actually tried; the crowd scenes have this frantic, sweaty energy that feels real.

Anyway, Slick gets too handsy and Jim Coakley steps in to save the day.

Jim is played by Robert Armstrong, who you might know from other stuff like The Savage.

He’s got that very specific 1920s hero face where he looks like he’s perpetually about to give a stern lecture.

So, Dee marries him out of gratitude, which is almost always a terrible reason to get married in these movies. 💍

They move to his lighthouse on this rockbound coast, and the movie suddenly changes gears entirely.

It goes from this noisy carnival to just... wind and rocks.

The the transition is a bit jarring, honestly.

We meet Jim’s dad, Pat, who is basically the definition of a salty old man.

He’s not exactly welcoming to Dee, probably because she used to dress like a devil for a living.

There is this one shot of Pat just staring at her with total disapproval that lasts way too long.

It actually becomes kind of funny after the fifth second of him just squinting at her.

Dee tries to be a good wife, but you can tell she’s bored out of her mind.

Then comes Alf, Jim’s best friend, who is way more charming than the husband.

Alf wants her to elope to Havana, which sounds like a much better deal than cleaning lighthouse lenses all day. 🌴

I kept waiting for her to just say yes and leave the grumpy dad behind.

The movie really leans into the idea that she has a "bit of the devil" in her.

But it doesn't really show it much, other than her looking slightly bored during dinner.

Compared to something more stylized like A Modern Du Barry, the drama here feels a bit more grounded, if a bit thinner.

The lighthouse itself looks great, though.

The shadows on the walls during the night scenes are actually pretty spooky.

There’s a moment where Dee is just standing by the light, and the way the beam hits her face is the best she looks in the whole film.

The the plot gets serious when Pat gets hurt and can't run the light.

Suddenly, the girl who was considering running off to Havana has to save a ship from crashing.

It’s a very predictable pivot, but Mary Astor sells the panic well.

She’s sweating and messing with the machinery, and you actually feel the stress of the moment.

I wish the ending didn't feel so rushed, though.

It’s like the writers realized they only had five minutes left and needed to wrap everything up.

If you liked the nautical vibes of The Bottom of the Sea, you might appreciate the atmosphere here.

But don't expect a masterpiece.

It’s just a solid, slightly weird little film about a woman trying to escape her past.

One thing that bugged me—there’s a scene where a character is talking, but their mouth isn't moving right.

Typical late-silent/early-talkie era jankiness, I guess.

Also, the music in the version I saw was... a choice.

It kept playing this jaunty tune during scenes that were supposed to be sad.

Still, for a movie from 1929, it’s got some bite to it.

The carnival scenes at the start are definitely the highlight.

I’d say give it a watch if you’re a fan of the era, otherwise, it’s just okay.

I'm still thinking about that devil costume. 😈

It looked like something someone made in a basement in twenty minutes.

But hey, it worked for the yokels in the movie.

Anyway, that’s my take.