In order to fully appreciate this movie a person needs to understand what the United States was like back in the 1930s. America was in the midst of the most severe depression it had ever known with approximately 25% of the workforce unemployed at one time. That said, here we have Humphrey Bogart playing the role of Frank Taylor who has worked at his job for many years, is well-liked and happy. He is fortunate to have a good wife named "Ruth Taylor" (Erin O'Brien-Moore) and an adoring son. Unfortunately, because a Polish immigrant gets a promotion he thought was rightfully his, he angrily joins a secret society known as the Black Legion. At first, things are going very well for him. But so much anger and hatred has a way of dragging people down and things begin to spiral out of control very quickly. He eventually loses his wife and then his job. Not long after that he kills his best friend due to fear of being exposed and gets sentenced to life in prison. As he's being led away he looks mournfully at his wife who is in tears and seems to wonder how everything went so wrong. One interesting aspect of this film is that Humphrey Bogart got to deviate from his typical "tough guy" role and showed a bit more emotion in this film. Additionally, even though Ann Sheridan (who played Ruth Taylor's next-door neighbor) gets more credit, I thought Erin O'Brien-Moore gave a truly excellent performance. The film was well-directed, had a decent supporting cast and the original story was nominated for an Academy Award. Not only that, but the National Board of Review selected it as the best film of 1937. In short, a very good movie for its time and I think anyone who gives it a chance will be glad they did.
Review of Black Legion
