Undertow (1930) is a salty, messy little drama

If you're looking for a quick thrill or a big action movie, Undertow is probably going to bore you to tears. It’s mostly for people who like to watch old, grainy films while drinking tea on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. If you hate slow dramas where people stare at the ocean for way too long, you’ll probably want to turn it off after ten minutes.

The whole thing is basically a messy love triangle that happens in a very cramped space. A Coast Guardsman named Paul gets way too close to the wife of a lighthouse keeper, which is never a good idea. It has that classic "I'm stuck in a lonely place and this new guy looks great" vibe that shows up in a lot of these old stories.

Mary Nolan plays the wife, and she has these incredibly heavy eyes. She looks like she hasn't slept in about three years, which honestly fits the character perfectly. Living in a lighthouse probably sucks for your skin and your sanity anyway. 🌊

Johnny Mack Brown is the "hero," but he feels a bit stiff for my taste. He has that 1930s leading man hair that never moves, even when there is a literal gale blowing outside. It’s a bit like watching a statue try to act romantic while wearing a very clean uniform.

There is this one scene where the husband, played by Robert Ellis, just looks so suspicious. The way he holds his pipe while looking at the two of them is almost funny if you watch it twice. He knows. He definitely knows, but he just lets the tension sit there like old fish.

The sound in this movie is... well, it's a lot to handle. Since it’s from 1930, the microphones pick up every little thing or absolutely nothing at all. The crashing waves sound like someone is just crinkling loud paper right next to your ear for the whole movie. 👂

It reminds me a bit of Roaring Rails but with way fewer trains and a lot more salt water. Or maybe a bit like The Last Trail if that movie was set on a leaky boat instead of a dusty path.

I noticed that the lighthouse set looks surprisingly small and cluttered. When the three main characters are all in the room together, it feels like they are about to trip over the furniture. It adds to the feeling of being trapped, even if it was just because the studio budget was probably low.

The ending comes at you pretty fast, which is weird for a movie that takes its time earlier. One minute they are talking about their feelings, and the next, there is a big dramatic climax that feels a bit rushed. It doesn't quite earn the big emotional payoff it wants, but it’s fine for what it is.

Is it a masterpiece? No way. But it's a decent way to spend an hour if you like seeing how they made "scandalous" movies back when sound was a new thing. Just don't expect it to change your life or make you want to move to a lighthouse. ⚓

Didja notice?

• The way the fog looks like actual cigarette smoke pumped onto the set.
• That one extra in the port scene who looks like he’s completely lost.
• The very loud clanking of the lighthouse machinery that drowns out the talking.
• Paul’s hat stays perfectly on his head way longer than it should during the fight.
• The weird way they the characters sometimes look directly at the camera for a split second.