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Underworld Overview:

Underworld (1927) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Josef von Sternberg and Arthur Rosson (uncredited) and produced by B.P. Schulberg and Hector Turnbull.

Academy Awards 1927/28 --- Ceremony Number 1 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingBen HechtWon
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Underworld BlogHub Articles:

Watching 1939: King of the Underworld (1939)

on Feb 18, 2021 From Comet Over Hollywood

In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, th... Read full article

Underworld (1927), at the dawn of the modern gangster film

By The Lady Eve on Nov 18, 2018 From Lady Eve's Reel Life

I hadn’t seen Underworld before, but I knew enough about it to be intrigued. To begin with, it was directed by master filmmaker Josef von Sternberg, a man of remarkable cinematic acumen who is usually only remembered today for having discovered Marlene Dietrich and stage-managed her rise to st... Read full article

Underworld U.S.A. (1961)

By Beatrice on May 20, 2017 From Flickers in Time

Underworld U.S.A. Directed by Samuel Fuller Written by Samuel Fuller 1961/USA Globe Enterprises First viewing/FilmStruck This is Sam Fuller at his lurid best aided by the performance of Cliff Robertson and the cinematography of Hal Mohr. Tolley Devlin had a terrible childhood.  He was raised i... Read full article

Eyes of the Underworld, Happy Anniversary! Opened on April 28, 1929, another Lost Film

By C. S. Williams on Apr 28, 2015 From Classic Film Aficionados

Eyes of the Underworld began production on May 1, 1928 at Universal Studios, under the direction of Leigh Jason; filming was completed by the middle of August of ‘28.[1] One month later, Eyes, was assigned the opening date of April 28, 1929, by Universal; this date remained the same in all Hollywo... Read full article

Eyes of the Underworld, Happy Anniversary! Opened on April 28, 1929, another Lost Film

By C. S. Williams on Apr 28, 2015 From Classic Film Aficionados

Eyes of the Underworld began production on May 1, 1928 at Universal Studios, under the direction of Leigh Jason; filming was completed by the middle of August of ‘28.[1] One month later, Eyes, was assigned the opening date of April 28, 1929, by Universal; this date remained the same in all Hollywo... Read full article

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Underworld Quotes:

No Quote for this film.
Underworld Facts
"Underworld" was submitted to the British Board of Film Censors three times:
  • The first submission, under the original title, was rejected because of the sympathetic portrayal of a criminal.
  • The second submission, under the title "The Penalty" and with cuts, was rejected.
  • The third submission, under the title "Paying the Penalty" to give the movie a more moral stance, and with additional cuts, was passed with an "A" certificate.

The film was predicted to be a flop, was shelved by Paramount and eventually released in only one theater in New York. Screenwriter Ben Hecht demanded that his name was taken off the credits. As a result of strong word-of-mouth the movie became an enormous hit and won Hecht the first of his two Academy Awards.
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