After killing her treacherous step-father, a girl escapes with a young vagabond and dresses as a boy. They hop freight trains, quarrel with a group of hobos, and use a stolen car in their attempt to reach Canada.
Beggars of Life is absolutely worth watching today, not as a historical curiosity, but as a genuinely gripping piece of survival cinema. If you find silent films too stagily theatrical or slow, this is the one to change your mind. It’s for anyone who appreciates the 'on the run' genre or the raw aesthetic of pre-Code H...
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Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
William A. Wellman
Wilfred Lucas
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"Beggars of Life is absolutely worth watching today, not as a historical curiosity, but as a genuinely gripping piece of survival cinema. If you find silent films too stagily theatrical or slow, this is the one to change your mind. It’s for anyone who appreciates the 'on the run' genre or the raw aesthetic of pre-Code Hollywood. However, if you require a traditional hero or a clean, happy-go-lucky adventure, the grim opening and the sweaty, claustrophobic tension of the hobo camp might be a turn-..."
Bob Perry
Benjamin Glazer, Jim Tully
United States
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