mmallon4
Today when the issue of immigration is brought up you will likely be shouted down as a racist by many factions. Since there are people who believe white supremacists (an increasingly meaningless buzzword) have actual influence today in the age of Trump, what does 1937's Black Legion say on the issue of immigration and people who are without a doubt real white supremacists. Black Legion was inspired from true events from an organisation of the same name despite the film's false opening disclaimer. In Black Legion Humphrey Bogart plays the role of Frank Taylor, a family man who is a far cry from the likes of Rick Blaine or Phillip Marlowe. However Bogart being one of the most adaptable actors he never feels out of place in the part not to mention he actually had a boyish look to him in his early films before he became more rugged over the next few years. Bogart isn't a tough guy here but rather someone who tries to act like a tough guy. This is exemplified in one of the film's most memorable scenes in which Frank stands in front of a mirror while alone in the living room of his house with a gun in his hand and admiring the way he looks with it. He feels empowered by it and develops a false sense of security as he plays it tough to bolster his lack of confidence as rarely does Frank ever look totally comfortable within in the Black Legion itself.Frank Taylor is drawn to racial hatred and later to joining the Black Legion after he loses a job promotion of factory foreman to Joe Dombrowski, a foreign born worker. Dombrowski is an interesting character. When the position of foreman opens up Joe states that he believes Frank will make a great foreman as he has been employed longer than any of the other employees. However it is Dombrowski who gets the job as he goes to night school, reads many books and is even studying how to design a lathe such as those used in the factory. Although his nationality or ethnicity is never mentioned, the name Dombrowski is Polish and Jewish in origin while the movie also subtly hints at the character being Jewish when his nose is referred to as "a plenty big one at that". Likewise the comments later given by Ann Sheridan's character in relation to the idea of the Dombrowski's setting their own house aflame for an insurance payment in that they are "honourable people" and that "they wouldn't do a thing like that" gives the impression that they are pillars of the community and that the locals do not look on at them as foreigners.Essentially the factory in the film operated as a meritocracy and employed the best person for the job ("They will fill it the way they always have, move the best man up"); the essence of the American Dream - study hard and you will be rewarded. Frank however is a sore loser and instead of reflecting on himself and seeing where he went wrong he takes the weak minded route out. How would Frank have reacted if the job had been given to one of his American born co-workers? He would not have been able to put the blame on "immigrants taking our jobs" so would he have come up with another lie in order to feel better about himself? After Frank loses out on the promotion he comes across a charismatic radio presenter complaining about foreigners stealing American jobs and taking bread from American homes. Like this would have a hope in hell of appearing on any mainstream media today in what would now be referred to as "hate speech". Likewise the scene in which Frank first attends a secret meeting held by the Black Legion in which a Hitler-esque speaker who overtly finger points gives a riveting yet at the same time ridiculous speech in which he speaks of ethnic nationalism and delves in conspiratorial nonsense on how foreigners "Now enriched with the jobs they have chiselled away from Americans and drunk with the power of their stolen prosperity, they are plotting to seize and control our government".With movies such as Black Legion and others from the mid to late 30's you can't help but ask would it be better if it were made before the code? Possibly the topic at hand would be presented in a less watered down manner. Look at a pre-code film such as Warner's Five Star Final which had no problem with using a range of racial slurs whereas the only instance of this in Black Legion is the use of the word honyock. Likewise Black Legion does distinguish itself as an interesting beast of a film in that it feels like it is in between being a B picture and an A picture.Interspersed between the main story is a love triangle subplot between Ann Sheridan, Helen Flint and Dick Foran. It's largely a distraction from the main plot until it finally finds its relevance later on and is ultimately the lesser interesting portion of the film. Regardless Ann Sheridan provides some entertaining wise cracks plus Helen Flint plays a character called Mrs Danvers (no relation to the Rebecca character).Does Black Legion hold much relevance for today? - To an extent yes. While much has changed since the 1930's in today's world of uncontrolled immigration, quotas and political correctness, there will always be groups of various political persuasions to pray on the weak minded.
weezeralfalfa
The Black Legion was a real Depression Era terrorist organization: an offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan, with similar purposes and tactics. Their targets included immigrants, Catholics, Jews, African Americans, and labor organizers. It was most concentrated in lower Michigan, especially the Detroit area, and Ohio. Their methods included prejudicial hiring and firing, boycotting businesses, property destruction, intimidation, physical mistreatment, as well as occasional murder. Several examples are provided in this film.First, the promotion of a foreign-born worker(Joe)to shop foreman over the general consensus that Frank(Humphrey Bogart) deserved the promotion resulted in a night raid on Joe's house, burning his house and his father's chicken coup, and breaking things up. After that night, the two weren't seen in that area again... In another example, they smashed the glass window for a store display. In a 3rd example, Bogie loses his new job as foreman, due to his distraction trying to recruit new members from among his fellow workers, as dictated by the Legion brass. His replacement, Mike Grogan, another foreign-born neighbor, is kidnapped at night, tied to a limb by his hands, and whipped on his bare back. He's left there until someone finds him half dead.Bogie's wife now tells him she suspects he's involved in these several incidents. He slaps her, and she leaves with their son for her mother's. Bogie gets drunk and accidentally implicates himself and the organization to his friend Ed(Dick Forman), who tells this to a coworker, who is a Legion member. The Legion plans to kidnap Ed, and whip him, as they did Grogan, hopefully scaring him so he wouldn't notify the authorities. Bogie now wants out of the Legion, but they remind him that he swore an oath never to quit, and there will be dire consequences for him and his family if he does. So, he goes along with the abduction of Ed, which doesn't go as planned. Before they can tie him to a limb, he unwisely makes a dash for it, and Bogie fires several shots at him, hitting him fatally. Bogie is distraught at what he has done. He stays behind the others, tears off his Legion garments and makes his way through the woods to an all night coffee shop, looking disheveled and suspicious. He asks for water, then 2 police enter for a coffee. When the shooting is mentioned on the radio, Bogie gets hysterical. The police arrest him for questioning, and soon he's in jail. I leave the remainder of the story for you to see. This includes the climactic courtroom scene, in which Samuel Hinds delivers a stunning speech about how true American patriots think and act. Hinds was a frequently-used character actor of usually elderly authority figures in films of the 1930s & '40s.Erin O'Brien-Moore played Bogie's wife. After she moved out of his house, she was seldom seen until the trial. Dick Foran played Ed, Bogie's friend who was shot dead. He had a relationship with Betty Grogan(Ann Sheridan), who was the daughter of Mike, who was whipped. The Grogans were friends of Bogie and his wife.The kidnapping and murder of Ed was based upon an actual incident, in which one Legion member testified against the whole 12 members involved. The film doesn't bring out the sometimes widespread involvement if Legion members in local government. It was probably prudent to ignore this subject. The film was banned or heavily censored in various European countries and Australia.I don't know why the Legion chose black as the color for their robe and hood. Perhaps simply because that made them more difficult to see at night. They had a skull and crossbones emblem on their hoods. Perhaps this was in mimicry of the black flags of pirates and anarchists. Or perhaps it was in mimicry of the Italian and British Blackshirts: the paramilitary branch of the Fascist Parties.
George Wright
Not a bad movie for its time, since it tries to show how otherwise well-meaning men like Frank Taylor (played by Humphrey Bogart)can become involved in vigilante activities against foreigners and immigrants. It is the low man on the totem pole who has to bear the brunt of competition for jobs when newcomers arrive. This is an old story and the reaction today is much the same as it was then: anger and frustration, leading to a loss of self-esteem and sometimes to criminal behaviour. Fortunately, thugs who engage in lynchings and beatings are no longer on the loose.In some ways, Frank is the hero as well as one of the villains since it is his testimony that puts members of the Black Legion behind bars. The sermonette delivered by the judge is full of platitudes by a character who never had to worry about his own position or status. The movie seems to deliver a message that says "watch out and don't become like him, if you know what's good for you." The real challenge then and now is to unite people so that they are not fighting one another but working together.
