BEGGARS OF LIFE is one of those legendary movies that silent film fans have read about but rarely had an opportunity to see, Chances are that if you have seen it, it’s been in some poor public domain copy of a copy which some of the other reviews clearly attest to. Now, thanks to Kino Lorber and the George Eastman House, the wait is over. This new release (BLU-Ray and DVD) is the best the movie has ever looked. While not a Murnau Foundation or a Photoplay restoration, it’s still a cause for celebration especially for Louise Brooks fans who get to see her in her best American film. Shortly after this she would go to Germany and the rest is cinematic history
BEGGARS OF LIFE is quite remarkable for its vivid portrayal of hobo life in a pre-Depression America and for the opening sequence of Louise Brooks under attack from her guardian who tries to rape her. The frankness of the material caught me off guard and then I marveled at how skillfully William Wellman directed the scene through the use of overlaps. After such a powerful opening the movie lapses somewhat until the entrance of Wallace Beery 30 minutes later. It’s his film and he easily outshines Richard Arlen (WINGS) but Brooks manages to hold her own. In her biography LULU IN HOLLYWOOD she talks about how Beery stood up for her during the filming. Although remembered today only for his sound roles, Beery was a superb silent film actor who had great facial expressions.
On the run from the law, Brooks and Arlen hop rides and get thrown off of trains until they land in a hobo jungle. Although Louise is dressed as a boy it doesn’t take the hobos long to figure out that she isn’t and they come after her only to be stopped by Beery who wants her for himself. Once again we see things from Brooks’ perspective of what it’s like to be a woman among men who have only one thing on their mind. There is a kangaroo court sequence which is both comic and full of tension as we know what the outcome of it will mean. After this the movie becomes rather predictable in an Old Hollywood way but Wallace Beery manages to turn the ending into something memorable.
As I mentioned earlier, the restoration is very good but it isn’t great. There are some contrast issues and although advertised as 35mm, parts of it sure do look like they come from 16mm but then’s that’s probably the best there is or at least the best we’re likely to see on home video. The score by Rodney Sauer’s Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra (one of the best at this sort of thing) uses some of the original 1928 music which helps to keep the viewer in the proper mood. All in all a top notch release of an American silent film classic than can finally find the larger audience it deserves. A must for Louise Brooks fans or for Wallace Beery fans like myself.
The Capsule Critic 