Underworld

Released Aug 20, 1927

1h 20m

Crime

Drama

List

89%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

87%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Gangster kingpin Bull Weed (George Bancroft) rehabilitates his drunken lawyer, but complications arise when the lawyer falls for Bull's girlfriend.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Sternberg's richly ornamental compositions-which are dense with shadows and objects that separate viewers from the action-suggest a willful distance from his characters.

Sep 14, 2015

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

There's a wallop right through and yet the film retains romance, clicks not a little on comedy and even whitewashes itself with a 'moral.'

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

Slant Magazine

Josef von Sternberg's Underworld is a fascinating early cornerstone of both the director's worldview and the gangster genre.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 18, 2007

Full Review

Roy Chartier

Billboard

Many things combine to make Underworld an absorbing, spellbinding picture. The acting, direction, titles, photography, camera angles, story and action are a few of them.

Mar 16, 2023

Full Review

Carl Sandburg

Chicago Daily News

Underworld does for the sophisticated adult what football does for the college boy. And Bancroft achieves something of the herculean glory of a gory fullback, with Von Sternberg as his general, showing him the openings, guiding his raging course.

Dec 14, 2021

Full Review

Robert E. Sherwood

LIFE

It is the best picture of its type that has ever been made.

Oct 5, 2021

Full Review

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Steve D

Ok but there isn't much memorable here including the acting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Louisa E

Great costumes. The two villians looked too much alike and I struggled to work out who was who. I really liked the acting of Clive Brook. No chemistry between him and Brent though. The lighting was good and the plot was enjoyable. Up there with my favourites for the year so far. 8/10.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/08/23

Full Review

david f

A great silent film and the progenitor of the gangster film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best gangster movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An underappreciated, late great of the silent era. Precedent setting for numerous crime films to come, some masterful moments of cinematography, with a great story and well formed characters.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An electrifying gangster picture focusing on a rivalry between to major gangsters in Chicago Bull Weed & Meaghan. Bull Weed's right hand man is a smart guy & beginning to fall in love with Weed's girl. Shot immaculately by Josef Von Sternberg this film has such a distinct visual flair with the aid of mood lighting and smoke. Moves fast & packs a punch this film is quite entertaining. Clive Brook (Rolls Royce [Weed's 2IC]) really pushes the story along. An interesting Silent Gangster Film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

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Josef von Sternberg

Director

George Bancroft

'Bull' Weed

Evelyn Brent

'Feathers' McCoy

Clive Brook

Rolls Royce Wensel

Fred Kohler Sr.

'Buck' Mulligan

Helen Lynch

Meg

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Synopsis

Gangster kingpin Bull Weed (George Bancroft) rehabilitates his drunken lawyer, but complications arise when the lawyer falls for Bull's girlfriend.

Director: Josef von Sternberg
Screenwriter: Charles Furthman, Robert N. Lee
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
Genre: Crime, Drama
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 20, 1927, Original
Release Date (DVD): Apr 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 20m