"East Side, West Side" (1927) is a superb actioner with George O'Brien, Virginia Valli, J. Farrell MacDonald, June Collyer, Holmes Herbert, and many others. You want action? You want a saga with lots of parts? You want romance? You want to see George O'Brien without a shirt? You want to see Virginia Valli's petticoat and above her ankles? You want to see the rich side and the poor side of NYC in 1927 in spades - I mean spades! - ? Well, this is your film! It has a little bit of everything, from a Titanic-like boat sinking with many passengers and the loss of a father, one whom the son doesn't know is his father...this, to the crossing of Lindberg from here to Paris...and the building of the subway in the city...and the building of skyscrapers in the city...and romance...and more romance...and boxing with a plus...and endless fights in speaks and streets...and...
O'Brien lives on a brick barge with his mother and his step-father. In the East River one dark night their barge is rammed and sunk and O'Brien's mother and step-father are drowned and he is barely able to make it to shore. He does make it, though, and ends up in the East Side at a Jewish tailor and clothing-dealer's (new and used) business and home. The daughter of the tailor is Virginia Valli. After O'Brien has survived a vicious fight with the Grogan gang, Valli takes him in and tells her father to get him some clothes while she goes to run a hot bath for the smelly newcomer...
This was about as much fun watching as can be had! Certainly one of O'Brien's best performances. Highly recommended! Interestingly enough, my DVD print had Russian sub-titles under the English intertitles. Obviously my source has some interesting sources! Print is the restored one and is truly wonderful. Crisp black and white. This Fox production was also very well directed by Allan Dwan.
O'Brien lives on a brick barge with his mother and his step-father. In the East River one dark night their barge is rammed and sunk and O'Brien's mother and step-father are drowned and he is barely able to make it to shore. He does make it, though, and ends up in the East Side at a Jewish tailor and clothing-dealer's (new and used) business and home. The daughter of the tailor is Virginia Valli. After O'Brien has survived a vicious fight with the Grogan gang, Valli takes him in and tells her father to get him some clothes while she goes to run a hot bath for the smelly newcomer...
This was about as much fun watching as can be had! Certainly one of O'Brien's best performances. Highly recommended! Interestingly enough, my DVD print had Russian sub-titles under the English intertitles. Obviously my source has some interesting sources! Print is the restored one and is truly wonderful. Crisp black and white. This Fox production was also very well directed by Allan Dwan.