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IMDb > Underworld (1927)

Underworld (1927) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   232 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 12% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Charles Furthman (adaptation)
Ben Hecht (story)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Underworld on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 August 1927 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama more
Plot:
'Nobody helps me -- I help them!' boasts open-handed gangster Bull Weed, handing over what will prove... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Won Oscar. more
User Comments:
A Lost Gem That Deserves to Be Seen (Especially with New Soundtrack!) more

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
George Bancroft ... 'Bull' Weed
Evelyn Brent ... 'Feathers' McCoy
Clive Brook ... Rolls Royce Wensel
Fred Kohler ... 'Buck' Mulligan
Helen Lynch ... Meg, Mulligan's Girl

Larry Semon ... 'Slippy' Lewis
Jerry Mandy ... Paloma
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Paying the Penalty (UK)
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Runtime:
80 min | Portugal:87 min (director's cut)
Country:
USA
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Silent
Certification:
Finland:K-8 (1992) | Finland:(Banned) (1929) | Portugal:17 (director's cut)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film was predicted to be a flop, was shelved by Paramount and eventually released in only one theater in New York. Screenwriter 'Ben Hecht' demanded that his name was taken off the credits. As a result of strong word-of-mouth the movie became an enormous hit and won Hecht the first of his two Academy Awards. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Scarface (1932) more

FAQ

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
A Lost Gem That Deserves to Be Seen (Especially with New Soundtrack!), 4 November 2007
9/10
Author: MITCH! (jkownacki@gmail.com) from United States

I just saw a re-issue of this film tonight as part of the 26th annual Three Rivers Film Festival in Pittsburgh and I was highly satisfied. The Alloy Orchestra were on-hand to provide an all-new live score, which created a near-perfect match for this underrated classic.

The acting was spot-on (although admittedly a much different style than modern audiences are used to), the set design and lighting were pitch-perfect (check out the copious amounts of confetti at the Underworld Ball), and the complexities of the characters and plot line far exceeded anything I was expecting from an 80 year-old film. Suffice it to say that modern cinema has not cornered the market on engaging, surprising and provocative storytelling.

If you have a chance to see Underworld, particularly when accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra, take the opportunity. It's a rarefied experience that's well worth your 90 minutes.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Underworld (1927)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Any Idea If This Can Be Seen GiveMeFilm
New York screening on March 5, 2009 neil57
Was this film previously 'lost?' bob_gilmore1
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