Underworld

About the production

Josef von Sternberg insisted on complete creative control, which was unusual for a relatively new director at Paramount. The film featured elaborate sets designed to recreate Chicago's criminal underworld, including speakeasies, opulent gangster headquarters, and gritty back alleys. Von Sternberg pioneered innovative lighting techniques, using dramatic shadows and contrasts to enhance the film's moody atmosphere. The production faced censorship challenges due to its violent content and sympathetic portrayal of criminals, requiring careful negotiation with studio censors.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Underworld appeared in 1927, when the late silent period and the transition to sound shaped how movies were financed, distributed, and discussed. Audiences of the day encountered the work amid shifting tastes in acting, pacing, and spectacle. Its focus on boisterous gangster kingpin bull weed rehabilitates his former lawyer from his alcoholic haze, but complications arise when he falls for weed's girlfriend mirrors themes circulating in popular culture of that moment.

Why this film matters

Underworld (1927) belongs to the wider archive of world cinema, documenting boisterous gangster kingpin bull weed rehabilitates his former. Archivists and historians value such titles for what they reveal about craft, genre, and audience expectations. Restorations and festival screenings keep the work visible to viewers far beyond its first run.

Making of

Josef von Sternberg, then a relatively unknown director, fought hard for creative control over the project. He insisted on filming in a realistic style that contrasted with the more theatrical approach common in silent films. The casting process was extensive; Bancroft was chosen for his imposing physical presence and ability to convey menace, while Brent was selected for her sophisticated, world-weary quality. Von Sternberg and Brent began a romantic affair during filming that lasted several years. The director used innovative lighting techniques, including backlighting and dramatic shadows, to create a moody, atmospheric look that would later influence film noir. The film's violent content caused concern with studio executives and censors, requiring von Sternberg to carefully balance the film's brutal elements with moral consequences for the characters. The production featured elaborate sets designed by Hans Dreier that authentically recreated the speakeasies and opulent headquarters of 1920s gangsters.

What critics said

Press coverage from 1927 is fragmentary for many titles of this vintage; surviving notices for Underworld tend to stress novelty, star power, or topical appeal. Later writing places the picture within its national and generic context, weighing both period conventions and moments that still land for modern viewers. Streaming and disc releases have revived discussion among classic-film audiences.

Did you know?

• Won the first Academy Award ever given for Best Original Story at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929
• Josef von Sternberg was virtually unknown before this film; its success launched him to major director status
• George Bancroft's portrayal of Bull Weed established the archetypal movie gangster that would influence countless later films
• The film is widely considered the first true gangster movie and established many conventions of the genre
• The character name 'Rolls Royce' was so unusual and memorable that it became part of film history
• Evelyn Brent and Josef von Sternberg had a romantic relationship during and after filming
• The film's success led to von Sternberg directing Marlene Dietrich in their famous collaboration series
• It was one of the first films to use the term 'underworld' specifically to refer to organized crime
• The movie was considered extremely violent for its time, featuring several brutal fight scenes
• Von Sternberg used innovative camera angles and lighting that were ahead of their time, influencing film noir decades later
• The film was preserved in the National Film Registry in 2008 for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance
• Clive Brook's character was originally written as a more minor role but was expanded due to his impressive screen test

Awards & recognition

• Academy Award for Best Original Story (1929, 1st Academy Awards)
• Photoplay Magazine Medal of Honor (1927)

Visual style

The cinematography, by Bert Glennon, was revolutionary for its time and established visual techniques that would influence film noir decades later. Von Sternberg and Glennon pioneered the use of dramatic shadows and high-contrast lighting to create mood and tension. They employed extensive backlighting to create silhouettes that emphasized the characters' mysterious and dangerous nature. The film featured innovative camera movements, including tracking shots that followed characters through the elaborate sets, creating a sense of immersion in the criminal underworld. The use of low angles made Bull Weed appear more imposing and powerful, while softer lighting was used for romantic scenes with Feathers. The cinematography also incorporated reflections and mirrors to suggest the dual nature of the characters and the deceptive nature of their world. These techniques were particularly advanced for a silent film, where visual storytelling had to convey complex emotions and relationships without dialogue.

Innovations

Underworld pioneered several technical innovations that would influence cinema for decades. The film's use of chiaroscuro lighting was revolutionary, creating dramatic shadows that enhanced the story's moral ambiguity. Von Sternberg employed innovative camera angles and movements that were unusual for the period, including low-angle shots to emphasize power dynamics and tracking shots that created a sense of momentum. The film featured some of the earliest uses of subjective camera techniques, placing the audience in the characters' perspectives during key moments. The production design by Hans Dreier created elaborate, realistic sets that could be filmed from multiple angles, allowing for more dynamic cinematography. The editing rhythm, particularly in action sequences, was faster and more sophisticated than most films of the era. These technical achievements were particularly impressive given the limitations of silent film equipment and the relatively primitive state of cinematography technology in 1927.

Music

As a silent film, Underworld originally featured live musical accompaniment in theaters. The score was typically provided by theater organists or small orchestras using cue sheets provided by Paramount. The musical selections emphasized the film's dramatic moments with popular songs of the era like 'St. Louis Blues' and original compositions that underscored the tension and romance. For modern screenings, various composers have created new scores, including a 2005 score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra that attempts to recreate the authentic 1920s theater experience. The original cue sheets suggested specific musical pieces for different scenes, using jazz and blues elements to reflect the film's urban, criminal setting. The absence of dialogue meant that the musical accompaniment was crucial in conveying emotion and driving the narrative forward.

Famous quotes

'You're the kind of guy who'd give a drowning man a drink of water.' - Bull Weed to Rolls Royce

'I'm going to take you out of the gutter and make you a man.' - Bull Weed

'There's only one thing in this world I'm afraid of - being alone.' - Feathers

'When you're king, you can't afford to show weakness.' - Bull Weed

'Love and business don't mix in this racket.' - Bull Weed

Memorable scenes

• The opening sequence introducing Bull Weed's power and control over the criminal underworld
• The dramatic confrontation between Bull Weed and Rolls Royce in the speakeasy
• The emotional farewell scene between Feathers and Rolls Royce on the train platform
• The final shootout sequence where Bull Weed faces his enemies and his fate
• The scene where Bull Weed discovers the betrayal and his world begins to collapse

What audiences thought

Underworld was a major box office success upon its release, becoming one of Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing films of 1927. Audiences were captivated by its realistic depiction of gangster life and its sophisticated storytelling. George Bancroft became a major star following the film's release, receiving fan mail from across the country praising his portrayal of Bull Weed. The film's popularity led to increased public fascination with real-life gangsters, with many viewers drawing parallels between Bull Weed and figures like Al Capone. Despite its violent content, the film was embraced by mainstream audiences and played in theaters across America for months. Its success demonstrated that audiences were ready for more complex, morally ambiguous characters in cinema, challenging the simplistic hero-villain dichotomy that had dominated earlier films.

Film connections

Influenced by

• German Expressionist cinema (particularly in its use of shadows and dramatic lighting)
• Real-life Chicago gangsters like Al Capone
• Contemporary newspaper accounts of organized crime
• Earlier crime films such as 'The Musketeers of Pig Alley' (1912)
• Literary works about criminal life including Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'

This film influenced

• Little Caesar (1931)
• The Public Enemy (1931)
• Scarface (1932)
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
• The Roaring Twenties (1939)
• White Heat (1949)
• The Godfather (1972)
• Goodfellas (1990)
• Numerous film noir classics of the 1940s and 1950s

Film restoration

Underworld has been well-preserved and restored by major film archives. The Library of Congress maintains a complete 35mm print in their collection, and the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2008. The UCLA Film & Television Archive holds additional materials including outtakes and production stills. A restored version was released on DVD by The Criterion Collection, featuring a newly commissioned musical score. The film survives in excellent condition compared to many silent films of the era, thanks to Paramount's preservation efforts and its recognition as an historically significant work. Multiple high-quality digital transfers exist, ensuring the film's continued accessibility for scholars and enthusiasts.

Where to watch

• The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray/DVD with special features)
• Kino Lorber (DVD release)
• The Criterion Channel (streaming service)
• FilmStruck (when available)
• Various film archive screenings and retrospectives
• Museum of Modern Art film collection screenings
• UCLA Film & Television Archive screenings
• Some public library collections (DVD format)