Beggars Of Life

Post Reply
stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Beggars Of Life

Post by stuart.uk »

Spoiler Alert

I watched The Beggars Of Life for the first time right through this morning. I also wanted to discover Louise Brooks. Not knowing to much about Lousie Brooks, other than she was regarded as a flapper girl of the 1920s, I wondered if she was cast against type in this movie.

She plays Nancy, a girl adopted by a male single parent, who wanted to seduce her. She put up with his advances until he tried to rape her. In self defence she pulled out either a shot gun or a rifle and killed him. She must have realized, though it was self defence, no court would believe her, so she put male clothing to disguise herself. While this was going on a young tramp entered the house in search of food. He believes her story and decides to take her with him. After a failed attempt to get Nancy to jump onto movie train, he decides to take her to Canada.

It was great to see Brooks do her own stunt in jumping onto a freight train, but assume it was either a stunt woman or man, who doubled for her when a guard forced her to jump of the train at high speed. On their travels they run into a group of hobos led by Wallace Beery, who looks a bit like Chill Wills to me. He's a complex character, who at times appeared to be against the couple, but in fact gave his life so they had a fighting chance of reaching Canada.

The film shows if anthing how difficult it was for woman in abusive relations back in the 1920s, when Nancy had to flee for her life, mearly for defending herself
User avatar
charliechaplinfan
Posts: 9040
Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by charliechaplinfan »

What channel was it playing on Stuart? I've seen a copy of Beggars of Life but it wasn't a very good one.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by stuart.uk »

I watched it on you tube Alison
User avatar
Gagman 66
Posts: 613
Joined: April 19th, 2007, 11:34 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by Gagman 66 »

BEGGARS OF LIFE was screened in New York at the Film Forum last Monday night. This was the recent 35 Millimeter restoration from Eastman House done in 2006. Bill Wellman Junior was even there to present the movie. Let's hope that Paramount makes the film available, if not on DVD or Blu-ray at least to TCM.

Here is a link.

http://www.examiner.com/x-7605-SF-Silent-Film-Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/louise-brooks-i ... as-gladysz


Image

Louise Brooks And Richard Arlen in William Wellman's BEGGARS OF LIFE (1928)
User avatar
charliechaplinfan
Posts: 9040
Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by charliechaplinfan »

What was the print like Stuart? I might watch it myself.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
User avatar
intothenitrate
Posts: 397
Joined: January 11th, 2010, 3:12 pm
Location: Cincinnati

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by intothenitrate »

I watched this film a little while ago and was meaning to post about it. The copy I've got is really poor quality, so it's hard to appreciate some of the artistic lighting (that others have praised). Still, when I could make out what was going on, I was pretty impressed by some of the touches Wellman puts into the visual story telling...he seems to be quoting some of the German Expressionists of the twenties here and there.

Richard Arlen--who I think of as a "collar ad" most of the time--does a great job as a vagrant. I don't think Brooks was very amused making this film. She's just a victim-waiting-to-happen from start to finish.

It was a film that I really looked forward to seeing, but overall, I was a little disappointed. Maybe it was the quality of the copy.
"Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day."
Goodnight Basington
User avatar
charliechaplinfan
Posts: 9040
Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Your copy sounds like mine, I really hope this film gets some attention and gets the full restoration it deserves.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: Beggars Of Life

Post by stuart.uk »

I thought the quailty was okay
Post Reply