Beggars of Life is probably a film most people have never heard of, but it's very worth seeing and was directed by William Wellman ("Wings," "Public Enemy," "A Star is Born," "High and the Mighty"), and also starred Wallace Beery and Richard Arlen. Brooks plays a girl on the lam for killing a man who tried to rape her. She plays much of the film masquerading as a boy and is incredibly cute, but at times blisters with anger and intelligence. Sturges' "Sullivan's Travels" owes more than a just a nod to this film and Veronica Lake's take on dressing up as a boy has nothing on Louise Brooks, who is far more believable. The film shows what Brooks could have done in American films if the studios had paid more attention to her. I saw this film at a screening at the Silent Film Festival in San Francisco's Castro Theater. The son of director Wellman spoke after the screening and had a lot to say about Brooks and his father. Star and director were difficult artists for the studios to deal with and Paramount was trying to figure out a way to destroy their careers, so they put them both on "Beggars of Life," figuring it was a complete loser idea. The film didn't do great in theaters initially, but it also didn't do what Paramount wanted it to do. Brooks went to Europe and made two masterpieces and Wellman went on to direct some good films at other studios. Apparently, his version of "A Star is Born" is the best one. I've only seen the two later ones.
Beggars of Life is an exciting film. As well as a nicely developed romance between the two leads, there is a runaway train sequence that had the audience gasping. This was a real train on a steep cliff side, camera or cameraman mounted on the nose of the train. Shot in some mountainous region in Southern California right above Mexico. I've never seen Wallace Beery as menacing or as likable. He is really the star of the show and he's got some great moments. Brooks did most of her own stunts, almost getting swept under a moving train in one scene. She was incredibly annoyed with Wellman for making her do it. She gets thrown off a moving train and bounced off the back of a delivery truck. You can see it's her, not a stunt double. Beery, on the other hand, was a much bigger star at the time, and he did none of his own stunts. The music for the Castro Theater screening was performed by the Mont Alto Orchestra, and I have to say, they are among the best accompaniment to silent films I've ever heard.
This film is really worth seeking out if it plays anywhere at a revival house. Unfortunately, it's not available on DVD, which is a crime.
Beggars of Life is an exciting film. As well as a nicely developed romance between the two leads, there is a runaway train sequence that had the audience gasping. This was a real train on a steep cliff side, camera or cameraman mounted on the nose of the train. Shot in some mountainous region in Southern California right above Mexico. I've never seen Wallace Beery as menacing or as likable. He is really the star of the show and he's got some great moments. Brooks did most of her own stunts, almost getting swept under a moving train in one scene. She was incredibly annoyed with Wellman for making her do it. She gets thrown off a moving train and bounced off the back of a delivery truck. You can see it's her, not a stunt double. Beery, on the other hand, was a much bigger star at the time, and he did none of his own stunts. The music for the Castro Theater screening was performed by the Mont Alto Orchestra, and I have to say, they are among the best accompaniment to silent films I've ever heard.
This film is really worth seeking out if it plays anywhere at a revival house. Unfortunately, it's not available on DVD, which is a crime.