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6.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Bowery remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old movies where everyone is constantly shouting and throwing chairs, you'll probably have a blast with The Bowery. It’s not exactly a sophisticated drama, so if you’re looking for something with a deep plot, look somewhere else. People who get annoyed by grainy, chaotic black-and-white footage will likely check out after ten minutes. But for those who dig that vintage 1930s kinetic energy? It’s a riot.
The whole thing feels like a bar fight that accidentally got filmed. You’ve got Wallace Beery as Chuck Connors, a guy who seems to be doing his own thing regardless of what the script actually says. He’s huge, loud, and he fills up the frame in a way that makes you wonder if the camera lens was sweating.
Then there’s George Raft. He looks like he’s in a completely different movie sometimes, all cool and collected while Beery is busy chewing on the scenery. Their rivalry is the spine of the movie, but honestly, the movie is at its best when they just stop talking and start swinging. It feels less like a choreographed stunt and more like two guys just really, really tired of each other's faces.
There's a scene near the middle that feels like it goes on for about an hour. It’s just people walking through the streets, dodging wagons, and yelling at each other about turf. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s barely holding together.
But that’s kind of the charm, right? It’s not trying to be a perfect, polished piece of art. It’s just trying to show you a version of New York that probably never existed exactly like this, but feels like it did in a fever dream.
It’s not quite as weird as the atmosphere in Hula, but it’s definitely got that same sense of 'let's just see what happens if we put these actors together.' If you want to see a movie that doesn't care about your time or its own pacing, this is it.
It’s a bit of a relic. Some of it feels like A Social Celebrity in terms of just letting the stars do their thing, but with way more sawdust on the floor. Don't go in expecting greatness. Just go in expecting a lot of noise and a few good punches.
IMDb —
1919
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