Black Legion secret society
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Black Legion secret society |
| Original title | Black Legion |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1937 |
| length | 83 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Archie Mayo |
| script |
Abem Finkel , William Wister Haines |
| production | Robert Lord |
| music | Bernhard Kaun |
| camera | George Barnes |
| cut | Owen Marks |
| occupation | |
| |
The Black Legion is a 1937 American drama directed by Archie Mayo and starring Humphrey Bogart. The script is based on a story by Robert Lord, who also produced the film. The film tells a fictional story of a member of the Black Legion , which really existed in the USA as a splinter group of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s.
action
The position of foreman is vacant at a factory in the American Midwest. Most workers believe that veteran Frank Taylor will get the job. Frank and his family celebrate the climb in the evening. But the next morning Frank learns that the management has appointed Joe Dombrowski as foreman.
Frank's colleague Cliff Summers sees the anger the decision has caused in Frank. Since Dombrowski is a Polish immigrant, Summers suggests that Frank join the "Black Legion," which aims to chase all foreigners out of the country. In the first action, Dombrowski's chicken farm is burned down and the family chased out of town. Now Frank becomes the foreman. The founders of the Legion force him to spend more time on their goals and to recruit young people as members. This conflict leads to Frank losing his position as foreman to his neighbor Mike Grogan.
During the night, the Legion attacks Grogan. Worker Ed Jackson, who married Grogan's daughter Betty, suspects Frank of being involved. He speaks to Frank's wife Ruth, who confronts her husband with the allegations. Frank reacts angrily, Ruth leaves her husband. Frank surrenders to alcohol and loses his job. He meets Pearl Davis, who has a bad reputation.
When Ed threatens to call in the police, he becomes the Legion's next target. Ed is not afraid, but is shot dead by Frank, who panics. Frank is arrested. Ruth returns from her parents' home to help her husband. The lawyer hired by the Legion threatens Frank's wife and son in an attempt to get him to assume sole guilt. But Frank exposes the whole conspiracy. All members of the Legion are arrested and charged with Ed's murder.
Reviews
The lexicon of the international film about the film: "The remarkable film exposes the fascist terror of the notorious Ku Klux Klan using the means of a gangster story."
Frank S. Nugent of the New York Times points out that it is good that the screen has lost none of its power of indignation. The film is a cinematic lead article that one could not ask for better: direct, uncompromising and merciless.
Awards
In 1938 Robert Lord was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Original Story.
background
The premiere took place on January 17, 1937 in New York . In Germany, the film was shown for the first time on August 29, 1964 as part of a TV premiere on the TV station ARD .
The budget for the Warner production was approximately $ 235,000.
The film's underlying narrative was inspired by the murder of a Works Progress Administration employee in Michigan in 1935.
According to a Hollywood Reporter article, the studio was sued by the Ku Klux Klan for showing the Klan's patented insignia. However, the lawsuit was dismissed.
Web links
- Secret Society Black Legion in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Black Legion secret society. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 2, 2017 .
- ↑ http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9807E0DB1638EF3ABC4052DFB766838C629EDE
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027367/business
- ^ Black Legion (1937) Articles. In: Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved May 13, 2019 .