Their Own Desire (1929) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

 

Their Own Desire (1929) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

American Film, Drama, Romance

Early All-Talkie Film
Academy Awards, 1930- Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role

When we look back at the transitional period of Hollywood, the shift from silent films to "talkies" often feels like a clumsy evolution. However, certain films captured that growing pain with unexpected grace. One such gem is the 1929 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, Their Own Desire. This isn’t just a relic of a bygone era; it is a sophisticated, albeit dramatic, look at how the sins of the parents often become the burdens of the children. More on Wikipedia or Mubi 

The Gilded Cage of Youth: Revisiting Their Own Desire (1929) 

Norma Shearer, the reigning "Queen of the Lot" at MGM, delivers a performance that reminds us why she was the definitive face of the sophisticated modern woman. In this film, she plays Lally, a young woman caught in the emotional crossfire of her parents' divorce. While divorce is a common trope today, in 1929 it carried a weight of social scandal and personal upheaval that felt world-ending. Shearer navigates this with a blend of flapper-era independence and a deep, simmering vulnerability.

The plot thickens when Lally finds herself falling head over heels for a charming man played by Robert Montgomery. In a twist of fate that only old Hollywood can execute with such flair, it turns out her new lover is the son of the very woman her father is leaving her mother for. It is a messy, tangled web of loyalty and longing that feels surprisingly modern in its psychological complexity.

Visually, the film is a masterclass in early sound-era aesthetics. The dialogue isn’t as stilted as many other films from 1929, largely because the chemistry between Shearer and Montgomery feels genuine. They represent a new generation trying to forge their own path, or "their own desire," while being tethered to the traditional expectations of their families. The cinematography captures the opulence of the wealthy elite, making the emotional stakes feel even higher against such a polished backdrop.

If you are a fan of Pre-Code cinema, this film is a mandatory watch. It lacks the heavy-handed moralizing that would define the mid-1930s after the Production Code took full effect. Instead, it offers a raw, stylish, and occasionally heartbreaking look at the messy reality of love and family. It serves as a reminder that while the technology of filmmaking has changed drastically since 1929, the human heart remains just as complicated as ever.

The Good: Why It’s Worth Your Time

The strongest pillar of this film is undoubtedly Norma Shearer. While many silent stars failed to make the jump to sound because their voices didn't match their personas, Shearer proved she was a powerhouse. She brings a modern, sharp energy to Lally that keeps the movie from feeling like a dusty museum piece. Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for a reason; she manages to make a privileged socialite feel genuinely relatable.

Another high point is the Pre-Code atmosphere. Because this was made before the strict moral censorship of the 1934 Hays Code, the film handles the topic of divorce and "stolen" romance with a frankness that feels refreshing. It doesn't treat the characters like caricatures of good or evil. Instead, it shows them as flawed people trying to find happiness in a messy situation.

The chemistry between Shearer and Robert Montgomery is also a major win. This was their first of several pairings, and you can see the immediate spark. Their scenes together, particularly the famous sequence involving a storm and a capsized boat, provide a genuine emotional core that balances out the heavy family drama.

The Bad: Where It Shows Its Age

On the flip side, the pacing can be a bit of a slog for modern viewers. Like many films from 1929, it suffers from the technical limitations of early sound recording. There are moments where the actors have to stay relatively still or speak very deliberately so the hidden microphones could catch their voices. This leads to some "dead air" and a lack of the fast-paced editing we’re used to today.

The melodrama can also get a bit thick. While the central conflict is interesting, the script occasionally leans into "stagey" dialogue that feels a bit over-the-top. The plot relies heavily on a massive coincidence—the "small world" trope where the two leads just happen to be connected to the same scandal—which might feel a little too convenient for some audiences.

Finally, the resolution might feel a bit rushed or overly tidy given how much emotional damage is done throughout the story. It wraps up the central romance effectively, but it leaves some of the deeper family wounds feeling a little glossed over in favor of a Hollywood ending.
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