Josef von Sternberg - Underworld

[Jake Fredel]

I am very glad that I started with this film. After all, as stated on the introductory title card on the Criterion release, it was Sternberg's first "professional" film. A great gangster film, with a very distinctive, striking visual style. And I have never seen a silent film edited so fantastically. The pacing of the film is perfection, and Sternberg obviously has a good intuition for leaving out what the audience doesn't care much about or doesn't need to see, and showing us the next thing that's important. Each shot leads perfectly into the next. Sometimes the shots cut again and again like gunfire, and sometimes they linger, but the way they are framed, composed, lit, and edited together fit the rhythm of the plot exactly, and perform a vital function in transmitting the feelings and emotions within. The action scenes have a lot of punch and drive, and the actors all give interesting, nuanced performances. As Nick Faust said in a Facebook comment, Underworld is a "revelation". The film does seem to receive some criticism for the last act of the plot being too predictable or cliched, but really, I think that the presentation of the material more than makes up for many small weaknesses it might have. A great starting film for the Sternberg month, I would recommend it to all interested in watching some of these films. It has definitely piqued my interest, and I'm very interested in discovering some of Sternberg's other films and revisiting the few that I've seen. 9/10

-Jake

[Bobby Beksinski]

I enjoyed this film alot but I felt the story was kind of mediocre. I
really liked George Bancroft's Bull Weed gangster and the rival
gangster who owns the flower shop. The film seems to be pumping with
testosterone. A man's honor being on the line felt to be a major theme
in the film. Gangster's battle one another to see who is tougher or to
get the girl, etc. and yes Jake the ending was pretty cliched however
despite all of that I agree Sternberg's visual style and the actors
make this one entertaining silent film. I rate it a 8/10