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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Vanessa, Her Love Story remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so if you’re into classic, full-on, no-holds-barred melodrama from the good old days, Vanessa, Her Love Story might just be your cup of tea. It’s a real commitment, clocking in with a lot of emotional turmoil. People who love a good, old-fashioned sob story, where every decision feels like a wrong turn, will probably find something to dig into here. But if you’re looking for subtlety or a happy ending, you’re going to be disappointed, maybe even a little frustrated. This one really leans into the 'tragedy' aspect.
The whole thing kicks off with Vanessa (Helen Hayes, who’s just **wonderful** even when the script is... doing its thing) and Benjamin (Robert Montgomery) all set to get hitched. They’re super in love, you know? Like, the kind of love where you just *know* something bad is gonna happen because it’s too perfect.
And boy, does it ever. There’s a big fire at her father’s house, and Benjie, bless his heart, saves Vanessa. But her dad? Already gone, poor guy. The movie really hangs on this one moment. Vanessa, in a move that feels both dramatic and a bit unfair, blames Benjie. She just *can’t* see past it, even for a second. It's a quick, sharp turn.
This leads to the separation, naturally. And Benjie, being a man of his time and probably quite hurt, ends up marrying Marion, the local barmaid. It feels a little quick, doesn't it? Like, did he even try to talk to Vanessa again? The whole thing makes you wonder about communication back then. 🤷♀️
Vanessa, of course, eventually realizes she made a huge mistake. But by then, Benjie is off the market. And this is where the movie really starts to crank up the unfortunate choices. She meets Ellis (Otto Kruger), who proposes. She accepts, mostly because, well, what else is she going to do?
Now, Ellis is… something. The movie doesn’t really tell Vanessa, or us, outright that he’s slowly losing his mind. But you can feel it coming. His eyes get a little too wide, his smiles a little too fixed. There’s a scene where he’s just staring at her across a room, and it's not romantic at all, it's just plain creepy. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters.
Her married life becomes, as expected, intolerable. You just want to shake her. Can't she see what's happening? When she tries to leave, the big legal snag pops up: she can't divorce him because he’s declared insane. It’s a classic melodrama trap, and she falls right into it. **Talk about bad luck.**
Helen Hayes really carries so much of this. You feel her anguish, even if sometimes you’re internally shouting at her character for her choices. Robert Montgomery does a decent job as the wronged Benjie, though he doesn't get as much screen time to really make him pop later on. Marion, the barmaid, is a pretty thankless role, but she plays it straight.
The film has this odd rhythm, sometimes rushing through big plot points, other times lingering on a single, dramatic glance for what feels like an eternity. The dialogue can feel a bit stiff, too, like everyone is delivering pronouncements instead of talking. But that's part of its charm, I guess, if you're into that sort of thing.
It’s not a film that tries to be subtle, that’s for sure. Every emotion is broadcast, every twist is felt. If you're okay with a movie that just keeps piling on the misery for its protagonist, you might actually find it quite engaging. It’s certainly a journey, even if it’s a frustrating one. You just watch, waiting for the next shoe to drop. And it always does.
IMDb —
1930
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