Review of King of the Underworld (1939) by Allan C — 03 Sep 2011

A good gentleman has got to know when to be just, severe, or mild.

A doctor and his wife run an inconsistent practice in suburban town. The physician performs inconsistently because he is distracted by illegal activities. Eventually, the illegal activities catch up with him and he is gunned down. The wife is left to start her own practice which struggles because her deceased husband had mob ties. Fortunately, the mob boss affiliated with her husband becomes her number one customer and opens the window for her to obtain revenge...

"The public always takes sides. What they want is a show.".

Lewis Seiler, director of Kisses for Breakfast, Pittsburgh, The Big Shot, Doll Face, Crime School, Deception, and Ginger, delivers King of the Underworld. The storyline for this picture is fascinating and unfolds nicely. The script is clever with several nice Napoleon references. The cast delivers their characters well and includes Humphrey Bogart, Kay Francis, and James Stephenson.

"This is a small town, you know.".

"And there are some small people'.

Ever since I saw Home Alone as a kid I have wanted to go back and see Bogart gangster pictures. His voice is so perfect for this genre and he delivers the characters perfectly. I loved Bogart and his display of ignorance and arrogance at the same time. He portrays his character perfectly and Francis plays off his performance well. This is a worthwhile old school gangster picture that is very entertaining and clever.

"You're putting your head right in the lion's mouth.".

Grade: B.