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Black Legion

Play trailer Poster for Black Legion 1937 1h 23m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Frank Taylor (Humphrey Bogart) believes he is about to be made foreman of the factory he works in. When the job goes to a Polish-born worker instead, Frank is enraged and decides to join a local organization that persecutes immigrants. Known as the Black Legion, the clandestine hate group uses scare tactics to help Frank get his promotion. However, his involvement with the Legion has dire effects on his marriage and jeopardizes the life of his best friend, Ed (Dick Foran).
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Black Legion

Critics Reviews

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Otis Ferguson The New Republic 05/08/2024
Each incident as it comes up is gone through skillfully, with a dexterous economy of relation and point. It has excitement, reality; and its seeds of truth are assured of being sown nationally. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/12/2022
4/4
Much like Confessions of a Nazi Spy would do two years later by directly addressing Nazism in America, Black Legion explores the idea that it can happen here. Go to Full Review
Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 02/11/2021
The Warner Bros. film, directed by Archie Mayo and an uncredited Michael Curtiz, is a gripping depiction of the organization's thuggery and violence and their devastating social and personal impact. Go to Full Review
Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine 04/22/2020
One of the year's best pictures. In it Humphrey Bogart rises to the rank of Paul Muni and Spencer Tracy. Go to Full Review
Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine 10/09/2019
A pretty grim study of human society, which adults will find authentic, deplorable and well worthy of their attention. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 02/19/2016
B-
A gripping social drama based on the newspaper headlines of the day. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Richard G. R Jan 28 Very different Bogey film. Made before he became a super star, with a serious storyline that still resonates today. See more Blu B 07/19/2024 A Bogart Classic that's solidly made overall. It defintely doesn't feel like its barely 80 minutes and packs quite a bit in for such a short runtime but never feels rushed or half cooked. Biggest complaints are everyone else besides Bogart isn't bad or just gives ok performances. Bogie is really good in this and steals every scene he's in and almost overshadows everyone else who granted isn't given as much as him but just isn't as memorable. Even the wife and mistress are just kind of on the ok side. Whenever it has a scene that focuses on someone else it just isn't as interesting as anything with Bogart. Also, the court scene at the end isn't terrible but it defintely is a letdown given the climax before it which is the best part easily. It's a lot of just reiterating what we saw already and Bogart doesn't say much except his confession. A lot of other people get time in the end and they just aren't as good, and it doesn't help there just reciting what we already saw too. This can feel a bit on the nose too compared to something like Blue Collar which works the commentary in with riveting characters. This does that only with Bogart and really no one else but it's still interesting commentary about unions, immigration, and hate groups. If your a big Curtiz fan (whose direction isn't the best here suprisingly), fan of any actors in this, films about unions, or deep cut vintage crime dramas than give this a watch. This really is a great testament to how gifted Bogart was. See more Steve D 03/11/2024 Before its time but not especially good. See more John M 02/04/2024 I live in England and I did like the movie however, to what I could see in first half. although it is on warner archive and I had to order the dvd from the States the first half of the movie plays ok then my dvd just freezes up I have cleaned the disc but it keeps on happening at the same location halfway through the movie and then my dvd just freeze. upon looking at other people who have the same problem I wonder if there is a problem in general with the way the disc is produced? my dvd player is multi-regional and I do have very many other warner archive movies that play ok on my dvd player. a shame really because the movie is great but I cannot see the whole movie owing to this error on the dvd itself. See more Cindy L 05/05/2023 Excellent early film on extremist groups in the United States. A young Bogart does a realistic performance. See more stu b 01/12/2022 Early Bogie, ripped from the headlines of the 1930s, and released before he had cemented his reputation as Hollywood's quintessential tough guy. Here, he plays Frank Taylor, an easy-going factory worker and family man who--after being bypassed for a coveted promotion--joins a sinister band of "patriotic" (and violent) misfits (the "Black Legion" of the title) who promise to help him make things right. (Read: punish the Polish-born co-worker who ended up with the job, instead.) Awfully heavy-handed--it's about as subtle as a front lawn cross burning (the Klan is mentioned at least once)--but the performances, particularly by Bogart, Erin O'Brien Moore and Dick Foran (as his heartbroken wife and steadfast pal) are terrific, and there isn't a wasted moment or superfluous scene in the movie. A little-known Bogart gem that was selected by the National Board of Review as one of the 10 best films of 1937. Worth seeing. See more Read all reviews
Black Legion

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Movie Info

Synopsis Frank Taylor (Humphrey Bogart) believes he is about to be made foreman of the factory he works in. When the job goes to a Polish-born worker instead, Frank is enraged and decides to join a local organization that persecutes immigrants. Known as the Black Legion, the clandestine hate group uses scare tactics to help Frank get his promotion. However, his involvement with the Legion has dire effects on his marriage and jeopardizes the life of his best friend, Ed (Dick Foran).
Director
Archie Mayo
Producer
Robert Lord
Screenwriter
Abem Finkel, William Wister Haines
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 16, 1937, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2016
Runtime
1h 23m
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