Black Legion
by Archie Mayo, Michael Curtiz
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DVD details
Actor: Ann Sheridan, Dick Foran, Erin O'Brien-Moore, Helen Flint, Humphrey BogartDirector: Archie Mayo, Michael Curtiz
Brand: Warner Brothers
Writer: Abem Finkel
Writer: Robert Lord
Writer: William Wister Haines
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Original recording remastered
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 83 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-25
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of Black Legion
DVD Review: Forward Thinking and Still Relevant
Summary: 4 Stars
It's hard to believe "Black Legion" didn't end up being a star making vehicle for Bogart. He gave a spectacular performance. He is at turns bitter, sweet, conflicted, resolute and remorseful. His portrayal of drunkenness is absolutely convincing. His vulnerability is palpable. There's one short moment of overacting but he follows it with work that is brilliant. His segment in the climactic scene packs an emotional wallop that tears the screen apart. All of it sparkles with the charisma that made his star burn so much more brightly than many others.
This wasn't just Bogart's picture though. All of the performances are excellent. Erin O'Brien Moore matches Bogart step for step. Her performance is nothing short of gripping. Dick Foran turned in exceptional work. He proved once and for all that he was a marvellous character actor. Joe Sawyer was exceptionally versatile. He could do comedy with the best of them. Here, he shows his flair for drama. Ann Sheridan was a serious actress before she ever became an "Oomph" Girl. Here, she's demure, vulnerable and strong according to what the material dictates. Helen Flint excels as "Pearl Danvers", the woman that should be avoided. Her work in the "Courtroom Scene" is great.
The technical aspects of the film are good as well. The story, by Robert Lord, is strong. Screenwriters Abern Finkel and William Wister Haines, did a good job of adapting it for film. Photographer and Cinematographer George Barnes kept the visual action flowing at a solid pace. His overall composition was good. His use of angles and contrasts was excellent. Director Archie Mayo (with uncredited help from Michael Curtiz) drew exceptional performances from the performers. He got them to flesh out the characters they portrayed beautifully. His pacing of the story is very good.
The film isn't without faults. The same bit of footage is used almost every time the "Legion" is on the march. That the wealthy individuals who control the Legion are portrayed as men hiding behind a facade of legitimacy is good. That their methods are oversimplified isn't. They're shown using intimidation and coercion, which they would do. They're not shown as being able to infiltrate the legal system itself, which is a huge gaffe. There are no Blacks or Indians shown (or mentioned) in the entire picture. In a film that addressed racism and hate crimes in America those omissions should have been unthinkable. To be fair the Producers may have had problems getting the picture past the Production Code if the material was deemed too sensitive, but still ...
These complaints aside, "Black Legion", is an excellent film. The statement it makes is still relevant and It's emotional impact is undiminished. It still resonates with freshness. This one was definitely ahead of its time.
That's a credit to the people who made it.
This review pertains to the DVD release of the picture. The restoration is pretty good. The picture is sharp but the contrasts are sometimes a bit dark. The audio track seems a bit muted but is clear otherwise.
Description of Black Legion
Frank Taylor and people like him have a vision for America. It is a vision shaped by terror and fueled by fear ignorance and hate - a nation of "free white 100-percent Americans!" In his first lead role in a major movie Humphrey Bogart portrays Taylor reuniting with the director of The Petrified Forest for this powerful tale of a white supremacist group. Threats surrounded the making of the film but the studio persisted creating a bold torn-from-the-headlines expose selected as one of 1937's 10 Best Films by the National Board of Review. The movie also fanned controversy for months after its release. "Black Legion will not stay in its place as cinema fiction" The New York Times' Frank Nugent wrote."It strikes too hard too deep and too close to the mark." Year: 1936 Director: Archie Mayo Starring: Humphrey Bogart Dick Foran Erin O'Brien-Moore Special Feature: Original Theatrical Trailer B&w/83 Mins.Running Time: 83 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CLASSICS UPC: 883929002757 Manufacturer No: 1000035752Bestsellers in DVD
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