One of the first full-length gangster films "The Regeneration" packs a solid portrayal of life at its sordid and debased. A boy growing up surrounded by poverty and crime inevitably succumbs to a life outside the law. Climbing to the top of the heap at a young age his glee with his newfound status is suddenly challenged when a turn of events leads to challenge and redemption. The appealingly dated acting of the time and the old-fashioned look and mores add much to the charm and interest of this vintage piece while ably depicting the grime and the filth of the urban poor overriding the slow pace and somewhat difficult to follow storyline. History and art rolled into one sepia-toned tapestry this is one for both film and history lovers.
Review of The Regeneration
