This famed Josef' Von Sternberg Silent was one of Paramount Pictures Major Hit's of 1927. Among the very first of the Big Gang-Land type Pictures, proceeding both WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS, with Lon Chaney, and Lewis Milestone's THE RACKET with Thomas Meighan, Louis Wolheim, and Marie Prevost, the following year. 
The brutish George Bancroft Starrs as a brash overconfident Gangster named "Bull Weed". An overbearing type, with allot of Hair, who laughs at most everything. Not a very serious minded fellow. Believes that He is a might to clever, and always one step ahead in any situation. 
Sassy Evelyn Brent is "Feathers" McCoy his "Sweet Tootsie", and Clive Brook is "Rolls Royce" the recovering alcoholic that Bull fishes out of the gutter, to become his "Right Hand Man". Bancroft is hard to like, Rolls, is easy to like, and Feathers, well, "What's Not to Like?"Brent falls for the made over Ex-Drunk in a Big-way, and Vice-Versa. Bull routinely get's away with everything, even Robbing Banks, and boast's "They'll Never Get Me!, Besides all I do is Help people!" For some reason, He fancies himself quite the philanthropist?
For all his bravado, eventually Bull gets caught, and is sentenced to the maximum penalty. At an Annual Bash for the elite Mob set, He gun's down a particularly loathsome rival who tried to Rape his girl! No solace this time, Bull is Sunk! 
On the night of The "Hanging", Bull busts out of "The Slammer", to even the score with "Roll's" who stole Feathers away from him, and presumably is content to let him die! The papers have turned Weed into a laughing stock! Rubbing it in how He was Jilted, for his Butler, and Erand Boy! This film has many plot twist's and turns, with a violent Shoot-Out for an ending! 
Very good quality print, multi-tinted, but with horrible modern sounding music! That's why I am subbing my own score for this one. Had this DVD for about a year, but never watched it until just last night. 
Fading Comic Star Larry Semon, who I'll freely admit I have not seen allot of, has a key supporting role in UNDERWORLD, and is quite good. Minus his trademark-White Face. This was one of if not, his final Motion-Picture appearance? Since Semon died in 1928. Has anybody else here, seen this movie before??? 
I have a few more Evelyn Brent Silents, and find Her to be very underrated in the general shape of things. Brent typically was cast as a Sexy, Saucy, Flapper, or Vamp. I just added a score to a nice tinted print of LOVE 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM (1926), with Louise Brooks, and Lawrence Gray, a couple months ago. Also have her in THE MATING CALL (1928), with Thomas Meighan, and another big favorite of mine Renee Adoree. As well as THE LAST COMMAND (1928), with Emil Jannings, and William Powell. 
Couldn't stand the Modern-Moody Music on UNDERWORLD so I dubbed my own score. Here are just some of the Vintage tunes that I used. Let's See what you think of these selections?:
New guy in charge huh? Does this bode well for the possibility if finally seeing the Photo-play Productions versions of WINGS, and THE WEDDING MARCH on DVD? Or at least on TCM? What about THE COVERED WAGON. OLD IRONSIDES, and BARBED WIRE??? Anyway, I hope the DVD story is correct. Paramount has to start someplace with it's Silent's. They are sitting on allot of Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Bebe Daniels and Pola Negri films, just to name a few big names. Every one of these ladies merits a nice box set if you ask me!
