Saturday, July 6, 2013

King of the Underworld (1939)

Director: Lewis Seiler                                  Writers: George Bricker & Vincent Sherman
Film Score: Heinz Roemheld                        Cinematography: Sidney Hickox
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Kay Francis, James Stephenson and John Eldredge

A lesser-known gangster film from Warner Brothers starring the incredible Kay Francis and Humphrey Bogart, King of the Underworld is a tad corny in terms of Bogart’s portrayal of the mob boss Joe Gurney. It wouldn’t be until two years later when he starred in High Sierra that he solidified his reputation by playing more well-rounded characters and softening the edges of his early, gangster roles. What elevates the film is the appearance of Kay Francis, who is one of the most underrated actresses of the golden era. She has an understated acting style that is no less intense for it, and a natural presence that is a joy to watch.

The story begins with Francis and her husband, John Eldredge, performing an operation on one of Bogart’s men. Both she and her husband are physicians, but when he is paid a visit by Bogart and rewarded in cash, he keeps the information from his wife. The two of them are then able to move uptown to a more lucrative practice, but Eldgredge prefers to work for easy money by taking bullets out of Bogart’s boys instead. The two quarrel one night, and he’s called out on another mission for the mob. This time, however, he’s accidentally killed in a police raid, leaving Francis a widow. When she’s prosecuted for being in on the operation she pleads innocent, which she is, and then vows to track down Bogart herself to prove her innocence. Along the way she meets writer James Stephenson, whom Bogart has taken a liking to, and the way the triangle plays out is very ingenious.

The screenplay was based on the story "The Chiseler" by the famous crime writer W.R. Burnett the man who, incidentally, wrote High Sierra as well as the original Scarface and The Asphalt Jungle. Director Lewis Seiler was a prolific director. He began as director of comedy shorts and Tom Mix westerns in silent films and later did a little of everything, comedies, war films, westerns, but never really made anything of note. Still, he has a nice style and uses some interesting camera angles, especially in the urban scenes. James Stephenson seems a little out of his element here, being more at home in urbane settings. He was a solid supporting actor at Warners, appearing in films like The Sea Hawk and The Letter before dying unexpectedly of a heart attack. Though it’s not one of the classic films produced by the studio, King of the Underworld is a satisfying gangster picture and especially worth viewing for the presence of Kay Francis.

No comments:

Post a Comment