DramaCrimeRomance

Underworld

- 'Nobody helps me -- I help them!'

Boisterous gangster kingpin Bull Weed rehabilitates his former lawyer from his alcoholic haze, but complications arise when he falls for Weed's girlfriend.

Release Date : 1927-08-20

Language :No Language

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Bull Weed

Original Name : George Bancroft

Gender : Male

Character Name : Feathers McCoy

Original Name : Evelyn Brent

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rolls Royce Wensel

Original Name : Clive Brook

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buck Mulligan

Original Name : Fred Kohler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Meg, Mulligan's Girl

Original Name : Helen Lynch

Gender : Female

Character Name : Slippy Lewis

Original Name : Larry Semon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paloma

Original Name : Jerry Mandy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge (uncredited)

Original Name : Alfred Allen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Street Kid (uncredited)

Original Name : Shep Houghton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Laughing Man at the Ball (uncredited)

Original Name : Andy MacLennan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Laughing Woman at the Ball (uncredited)

Original Name : Ida May

Gender : Female

Character Name : High Collar Sam (uncredited)

Original Name : Karl Morse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective at Railroad Station (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Reeves

Gender : Male

Character Name : One of Buck’s Henchmen (uncredited)

Original Name : Julian Rivero

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-06

Josef von Sternberg does well here with his adaptation of Ben Hecht's gangster thriller. George Bancroft is "Bull Weed", a rumbustious character, in love with the aptly monikered "Feathers" - because she wears them everywhere - Evelyn Brent. His former attorney, the dapper "Rolls Royce Wensel" (Clive Brook) has problems with the bottle, but "Weed" manages to ween him off - only for the latter to fall in love with his gal. When "Weed" is finally apprehended by the police for murder, and sentenced to swing for it - the others must decide whether to abscond together, or to try to spring him! "Bull", meantime has plans for revenge of his own - and this all builds to an exciting denouement. There's a lot packed into this film. The love-triangle theme gradually underpins the story, but the romance doesn't overwhelm it - it's still a gangster movie with just the tiniest hint of menace from an engaging Bancroft, and quite bit of on-screen chemistry between the three. As you'd expect, the photography is pristine. Though maybe just a few too many static shots for me that slow the pace a bit, the story is well constructed and the last ten minutes are super.