1939 / 104m - USA
Drama, Romance
1.5*/5.0*
Dark Victory poster

Watches

December 15, 2021

1.5*/5.0*

The advent of sound is probably one of the biggest game changers in the film business. It's not just the added soundtrack and its impact on the total experience, but also the shift from visual storytelling to literal dialogues that really turned things around. Pick a film from the 30s, and it's hard to miss. Characters just blabber on from start to finish.

Judith is a feisty woman, but more and more she is haunted by nasty migraines and loss of vision. Her doctor finds a brain tumor and Judith undergoes an operation. The two fall in love with each other and get married, what Judith doesn't know is that the tumor is certain to return.

With a story like this, things are bound to get a little sentimental. The performances are decent but nothing great. The romance is a little daft and the drama in the second half isn't quite subtle enough to leave a big impression. It's a pretty basic classic drama, not something that excites me.