Beggars of LIfe

William Wellman (director)
Louise Brooks (starring)
Jim Tully (novel)

Hollywood: Paramount Pictures / Famous Lasky Corporation, 1928. Vintage black-and-white reference photograph from the 1928 film. Based on Jim Tully's 1924 book, "Beggars of Life: A Hobo Autobiography."

The story of a girl (Louise Brooks, known only as "The Girl") who kills her treacherous stepfather, disguises herself as a boy, joins up with a vagabond (Richard Arlen as "The Boy") and attempts to escape the country into Canada.

The first Paramount film to have a small amount of spoken dialogue, added in post-recording to the music and effects track. Much of it was filmed on location, including footage of an actual train derailment. Louise Brooks performed her own stunt in a scene where she jumps onto a moving train.

Brooks' appearance in the film as a boy began a trend in popular film beauties playing androgynous roles, culminating 13 years later when Veronica Lake played another boyish vagabond character simply called "The Girl" in Sullivan's Travels. Preston Sturges was likely inspired by the William Wellman scenario.

8 x 10 inches. Near Fine.


[Book #136596]