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Bert GlennonInhalte(1)
Josef von Sternberg’s riveting breakthrough is widely considered the film that launched the American gangster genre as we know it. George Bancroft plays heavy Bull Weed, a criminal kingpin whose jealous devotion to his moll, Feathers (Evelyn Brent), gets him into hot water with a rival hood and, ultimately, the authorities. Further complicating matters is the attraction that blossoms between Feathers and an alcoholic former lawyer (Clive Brook). With its supple, endlessly expressive camera work and tightly wound screenplay based on a story by legendary scribe Ben Hecht (who won an Oscar for it the first year the awards were given),Underworld solidified von Sternberg’s place as one of Hollywood’s most exciting new talents. (Criterion)
(mehr)Kritiken (1)
On the one hand I was pleased with how well-acted the film is, on the other it's unfortunate that it can still be too theatrical in tense scenes. George Bancroft in particular overacts unnecessarily in places, but that still doesn't change the fact that the film is very powerful and surprisingly quite violent for its time, which the finale in particular shows.
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