A Cottage on Dartmoor

A Cottage on Dartmoor

Year: 1929

Runtime: 88 mins

CrimeDramaThriller

A jealous barber’s assistant becomes enraged by the attentions the manicurist he’s obsessed with and a repeat customer pay to one another.

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Timeline & Setting – A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1920s

The events take place in the late 1920s, a period of small-town England and silent-era cinema. Social norms are strict, and community life revolves around modest shops, gatherings, and close-knit relationships. The moor and countryside reflect the era's rugged atmosphere and fragile hopes.

Location

Dartmoor, Devon, England

The story unfolds in a rural Devon town with a local barber shop, a small cinema, and the stark Dartmoor countryside. It centers on the bleak moorland and the isolated cottage where Sally and Harry later live with their son. The Dartmoor Prison serves as a grim backdrop for Joe's imprisonment and dramatic escape.

🌫️ Rural Devon town 🗺️ Dartmoor landscape 🏰 Dartmoor Prison

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:34

Main Characters – A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929)

Meet the key characters of A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Joe, a Barber's Assistant (Uno Henning)

A barber's assistant whose initial infatuation with Sally spirals into dangerous obsession. His jealousy, born from insecurity and a misunderstanding, drives him to stalk and threaten. In prison and on the moor, Joe appears as a tragic figure caught between longing and the consequences of his actions.

💔 Obsession 🗡️ Violence ⚖️ Tragedy

Sally, a Manicurist (Norah Baring)

Sally begins as the object of Joe's fixation but evolves into a conflicted figure who also accepts the affections of Harry. She experiences guilt about Joe's fate and shows compassionate remorse toward him. Sally's decisions drive the emotional core of the story and influence the eventual reconciliation of the couple.

💗 Compassion 🕊️ Forgiveness

Harry, a Dartmoor Farmer (Hans Adalbert Schlettow)

A steady, respectable farmer who wins Sally's heart with his reliability. He withstands Joe's jealousy and ultimately participates in the complex moral choices surrounding Joe's escape, providing a counterbalance to Joe's instability.

💪 Resolve 🏛️ Honor

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:34

Major Themes – A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929)

Explore the central themes of A Cottage on Dartmoor (1929), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Jealousy

Jealousy drives Joe from infatuation to dangerous obsession, distorting his view of Sally and Harry. The narrative shows how unreciprocated love can warp judgment and escalate into harm. This theme anchors the tragedy and shapes the choices that follow.

🗡️ Violence

A confrontation between Joe and Harry culminates in a stabbing, leading to Joe's conviction for attempted murder. The violence tests loyalties and underscores the harsh consequences of personal vendettas in a rural community. It forever alters the lives of everyone involved.

🕊️ Redemption

Years after imprisonment, Joe's escape rekindles a fraught dynamic with Sally and Harry, forcing a reckoning about forgiveness and loyalty. Sally's remorse and Harry's reluctant mercy complicate their relationships, culminating in a final, poignant turn that blends justice with compassion.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:34

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Tragic obsession stories like A Cottage on Dartmoor

Stories where a single-minded fixation leads to ruin and despair.If the grim spiral of pathological jealousy in A Cottage on Dartmoor captivated you, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar drama and thriller stories where unrequited love turns into a destructive force, leading to crime, punishment, and tragic fate for all involved.

obsessivetensegrimbroodingdesperatetragicmelancholic

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a protagonist whose life becomes dominated by an unhealthy obsession, often romantic or possessive. This fixation warps their perspective, leading them down a path of increasingly desperate and destructive actions. The story structure builds tension methodically towards an almost inevitable, tragic conclusion, highlighting the devastating cost of their single-mindedness.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a dark, heavy tone and a steady pacing that builds dread. They are united by a central theme of pathological obsession and its catastrophic fallout, creating a powerful, melancholic, and tense viewing experience focused on a character's psychological unraveling.

Silent psychological thrillers with tension like A Cottage on Dartmoor

Early cinema masterpieces that build dread through visual storytelling.If you appreciated the visual storytelling and brooding tension of the 1929 film A Cottage on Dartmoor, discover similar silent movies. These early crime dramas and psychological thrillers share a steady pace, high intensity, and a focus on grim themes like obsession and tragic fate, all conveyed through powerful imagery.

broodingtensemelancholicgrimexpressionistatmosphericfatalistic

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread are often straightforward but potent, relying on visual cues, framing, and editing to convey complex emotions and psychological turmoil. The pacing is typically deliberate, allowing tension to simmer and build towards a climax that feels both shocking and inevitable. The stories frequently center on primal emotions like jealousy, revenge, and despair.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their historical context and shared cinematic language. They utilize the unique tools of silent cinema—expressionist visuals, title cards, and atmospheric scoring—to create a specific kind of brooding, intense, and psychologically charged experience that feels distinct from later talkies.

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A Cottage on Dartmoor Summary

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A Cottage on Dartmoor Summary

A Cottage on Dartmoor Timeline

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A Cottage on Dartmoor Timeline

A Cottage on Dartmoor Spoiler-Free Summary

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A Cottage on Dartmoor Spoiler-Free Summary

More About A Cottage on Dartmoor

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