Three Loves (1929) - Marlene Dietrich is already a star here

You should definitely watch this if you have a soft spot for moody silent films that feel like a fever dream. It is also a must if you want to see Marlene Dietrich right before she became a massive global icon.

People who hate slow movies where characters stare at each other for a long time probably won't like it. If you need a lot of dialogue to understand what is happening, this is not for you.

I watched this late at night, and honestly, that is the best way to do it. The movie has this very specific dark energy that works better when your room is quiet.

The story starts with a wedding that feels more like a business merger. Oskar Sima plays the groom, and he looks like he would rather be doing his taxes than kissing his bride.

They get on a train for their honeymoon, which is where the movie actually starts to get interesting. The train sets are great, all cramped and shaky, making everything feel a bit claustrophobic.

Then we see her. Marlene Dietrich appears and the whole movie just shifts gears immediately.

She is playing a woman named Stascha, and she has this look in her eyes like she knows exactly how the world is going to end. It is wild how much power she had on screen even this early in her career.

She is with this guy played by Fritz Kortner. He is supposed to be the villain, and man, he is creepy.

Kortner does this thing where he just looms over people. He does not even have to do much; his face just looks like trouble.

There is a moment on the train where Dietrich just looks out the window, and the lighting is perfect. It makes you forget that the plot about the business marriage is actually kind of boring.

I found myself not really caring about the main guy’s wife at all. She barely feels like a person in this story, which I guess is the point, but it makes the hero seem a bit like a jerk.

He falls for Stascha almost instantly. Who wouldn't, really? 🎬

The middle part of the movie drags a little bit when they aren't on the train. I found myself checking how much time was left during some of the longer walking scenes.

It reminds me a bit of the pacing in Men, where the atmosphere is doing all the heavy lifting. If you aren't into the vibe, you might get bored.

But then we get to the masked ball. Masked balls in old movies are always great because everyone looks suspicious by default.

The costumes are a bit weird, and the way the crowd moves feels a little bit disorganized. It felt like some of the extras didn't know where they were supposed to stand.

There is one shot of a guy in a giant bird mask that actually startled me. It was only on screen for a second, but it was weirdly effective.

The escape plot is pretty simple. He wants to get her away from the scary guy, and they use the chaos of the party to try and slip out.

I noticed that the editing gets really choppy during the climax. It is like they ran out of film or got tired of shooting the same hallway.

One thing that bugged me was how easily the main character forgets he is on his honeymoon. He just leaves his new wife behind like he’s dropping off a library book.

It makes the "hero" part of his character a bit hard to swallow. He is basically just a guy who saw a prettier woman and decided his current life was disposable.

Still, the way the movie uses shadows is really cool. It feels a lot like the early German expressionism stuff, but a bit more grounded.

The ending is... well, it happens. It felt a little bit rushed compared to how much time they spent on the train at the beginning.

I wish we got more of a payoff with the villain. Fritz Kortner is so good at being menacing that I wanted a bigger confrontation.

Instead, it just kind of winds down. It’s not a bad ending, just a bit quiet.

If you liked Her Social Value, you might find this one a bit more intense. It has that same feeling of a woman trapped by her circumstances, but with more of a thriller edge.

Also, the music in the version I saw was a bit distracting. Sometimes silent film scores try way too hard to tell you how to feel every single second.

Anyway, it’s a solid watch for the visuals alone. Dietrich is a force of nature even when she isn't saying a word.

Just don't expect a super happy romantic comedy. It is much grittier than that.

I’ll probably think about that train sequence for a few days. Something about the steam and the way the lights flicker just stuck with me. 🚂