KING OF THE UNDERWORLD
US, 1939, 69 minutes, Black and White.
Humphrey Bogart, Kay Francis, James Stephenson.
Directed by Lewis Seiler.
King of the Underworld is a B-budget brief Humphrey Bogart thriller. On the way up, he gets top billing. The focus, however, is on Kay Francis. However, her career was in the wane and she gets supporting billing. The film is a remake of Dr. Socrates with Paul Muni. The roles have been reversed and Kay Francis is the doctor. Bogart gives another of his performances as a gangster. James Stephenson, whose career was cut by his untimely death, is the suave English-style hero. Of interest - something of a curiosity, especially the climax with the blinded gangsters wandering around the house meeting their fate.
1. An entertaining gangster thriller? Warner Bros. B-budget? The quality of production, the stars?
2. Warner Bros. production values: black and white photography, studio atmosphere, editing and pace? The atmospheric score?
3. The tradition of gangster films in the '30s? The portrayal of the criminals? Their influence in American society? Their hold on ordinary people? The response of the police?
4. Humphrey Bogart's style as Joe Gurney? Self-opinionated criminal? Napoleon complex? His hold over his henchmen? His being big-time in the city? Murders? Money? Resisting the police? The use of the doctor and his hold over him? The stake-out and the involvement of Carole Nelson? Gurney hiding in the country? The encounter with Carole? Using her medical skills? The confrontation? His believing her - and her putting the drops in the criminals' eyes? The final confrontation with the police? The taking of Bill Stevens? His picking him up as a hitch-hiker, talking about himself, getting Stevens to write his biography, the connections with Napoleon serious and funny? The plan to kill Stephens? His death and his still believing that he was king of the underworld?
5. The sketch of Gurney's henchmen? Personalities, types, Gurney's hold over them, betrayal, loyalty? Holed up in the country? The taking of the drops? Their deaths?
6. The Nelsons and their modest practice? Niles Nelson and his extravagance, the tensions with his wife, his being caught up in Gurney's world, his willingness to help the criminals, his wanting to break off, being taken to their hideout, being killed in the stakeout? Carole's love for her husband, her worry about his gambling, her following him to the stakeout, her being taken by the police, the accusations, the court case, the time given to her to prove her innocence? Her disillusionment with her husband? The advice of her aunt? Moving out of the city, setting up practice in the country town, the clashes with the locals? Her practice, her discovery of Gurney, infiltrating herself into his household, tending the wounded? Her turning the tables on him and the use of the eye drops? Her encounter with Bill, falling in love, rescuing him, having to put the drops in his eyes? Her self-vindication?
7. The sketch of Bill Stevens, the writer hitch-hiking through Depression America, listening to Joe, prison after being shot at the bank, Carole's friendship, his being kidnapped by Curney's henchmen, writing the biography, his sardonic comments, realising that he would be killed, taking the drops, rescued by Carole?
8. The portrait of the police, the stakeouts, court cases, the authorities in the country town faced, with gangsters?
9. The sketch of Carole's aunt, her support?
10. Themes of American society in the '30s. the hold of the gangsters. their motivations, their violence, the repercussions for ordinary citizens?
