DVD Review: The Shakedown (1929)

Now on blu ray from Kino Lorber is a beautifully restored 4K remaster of director William Wyler's 1929 boxing drama "The Shakedown," starring James Murray. Coming at the end of the silent era, as the movies were transitioning to talkies, it is one of the most powerful dramas of its time.

James Murray, best known for his heartbreakingly brilliant performance in King Vidor's "The Crowd" (1928), plays Dave Roberts, a handsome young man who is involved in fight fixing. He travels from town to town and shows gullible townsfolk how he can bob and weave when they try to hit him. A brutal looking accomplice then challenges Dave and also fails to hit him. The man is revealed to be a boxer, so a match is arranged, where many are duped into betting on Dave, who loses the fixed fight, then collects a percentage. This is quite a lucrative racket, with Dave's fresh faced good looks, smug smile, and pleasant demeanor working effectively within the ruse.

While traveling from town-to-town performing this racket, Dave eventually meets and falls for a pretty waitress (Barbara Kent). However, what really turns him around is a young orphan boy named Clem (Jack Hanlon), whom he saves from an oncoming train. Dave develops a paternal relationship with the boy and a romantic relationship with the woman, and soon wants to get out of the rackets. But it isn't that easy. So he insists on fighting legitimately rather than a fixed bout to prove himself once and for all.

There are many elements that make "The Shakedown" important to film history, as well as a great release from Kino Lorber. First, it captures William Wyler early in his career, at a time where he helmed some short films and only a few features. Of course he would develop into one of the finest directors in cinema, but at this point he was still exploring what he could do with actors, how his shot composition would enhance the narrative, and some visual ideas that work especially well in silent cinema. For instance, the close-up of Dave and the waitress on a Ferris Wheel, as it swirls around, is quite an impressive visual from a film as early as 1929. But what might be most impressive is the remarkable sequence where Dave saves Clem from an oncoming train when the boy stumbles on railroad tracks. He dives onto Clem, and rolls him out of harm's way just as a train is coming, then sees a train coming from the other direction on the parallel tracks, and rolls back. It is a brilliantly shot scene, and one of the real highlights of the movie.

James Murray, as a man, was riddled with demons that would eventually destroy him, but his innate talent as an actor shines through, especially in the scenes opposite Clem. The male bonding, the developing of understanding, the issues of trust that have to be surmounted, all figure prominently in their scenes together. Often Wyler shoots from Murray's perspective, showing the soulful eyes of the boy who is starving for adult male guidance. Barbara Kent, who left movies in the 1930s but lived past 100, is best known for appearing with Harold Lloyd in his part talkie "Welcome Danger" (1929) and his first full talkie "Feet First" (1930). She resonates as appealing but has decidedly less to do here than in the Lloyd movies.

Some of the supporting players are notable. Harry Gribbon, for instance, started off playing bombastic roles in Mack Sennett comedies, and scores well in a more serious role here. George Kotsonaros is the perfect rugged type to play the fighter with whom the ruse is performed. Kotsonaros was a pro wrestler who appeared in a handful of films, including "Beggars of Life" (1928), and continued his wrestling career while also acting in movies. George was killed when his car overturned in a 1933 road accident.

"The Shakedown" is also a part talkie, and research indicates that it was released with some dialog sequences as well as a full silent. The version on the Kino Lorber blu ray is fully silent. There is a score by Michael Gatt that is excellent. Too often silent movies are given scores that call attention to themselves and distract from the movie, taking the viewer out of the experience. Gatt's score for "The Shakedown" seems like an organic part of the presentation, always enhancing the action. It is one of the best modern-day silent movie scores this reviewer has heard.

Along with film critic Nick Pinkerton's interesting and enlightening commentary, there is a very informative booklet by film historian Nora Fiore that offers even greater insights into the film's production and background.

"The Shakedown" was considered lost until 1998 when elements were found and restored by the George Eastman house. This new 4K restoration by Universal Pictures is most highly recommended. The blu ray is available at this link: Shakedown blu ray