Beggars in Ermine

It is almost as if, about a month prior to production, director Phil Rosen and his scenarist, Tristram Tupper, (sounds like a character W. C. Fields would play, huh?), got together to confer on what would be the dullest way to tell this story. I mean, clearly the most intriguing element, as the title suggests, is the forming of a labor union of homeless mendicants. You would think, at the very least, the difficulties in creating such an association would be front and center, to mention nothing of the perils such a union would face from corporate America. But no. The union is formed and, literally five minutes later, is so successful that its creator, played by Lionel Atwill, is living in a friggin mansion! Meanwhile, the conflict and dramatic tension that should have been given to the rise of organized, disabled, poor, blind beggars is instead outsourced (to employ a capitalist/labor term) to really boring stuff involving Atwill's revenge on a moustache twirling corporate villain who, for some reason that is not explained, has murdered Atwill's unfaithful spouse. The result is lots of ennui and little interest beyond some nice, left wing, pro unionism, the usual good work of Atwill, playing a good guy for a welcome change, and a fine supporting bit from D. W. Griffith veteran Henry B. Walthall whose gentle ethereality both anticipates and supersedes Leslie Howard. Give it a C plus.

Unbelievable plot, Beggars that invest in hedge funds. But I enjoy the simplicity of the stock market, the characters are also simple but you don't care too much about that, because you're inside a story thats goes around different dramatics situations to finalize with a happy ending. Only for lovers of the 30's the golden age of hollywood.

"Beggars in Ermine" is a very melodramatic and rather uneven story of retribution. There are some moments that are uplifting or at least interesting, but there are other times when it is excruciatingly implausible.

John "Flint" Dawson (Lionel Atwill) is a steel mill owner who believes in old-fashioned virtues. He cares about his employees, and has a plan to ensure a bright future for them and the mill. But one of his executives, James Marley (Jameson Thomas), has a different and sinister plan. In one quick series of events at the beginning of the film, Marley leaves Dawson's life in ruins and takes over the mill. For the rest of the movie, Dawson assumes a new identity as a beggar, and organizes his fellow beggars with the goal of eventually getting revenge on Marley. Much of what happens next has little believability, but there are some good moments.

Most of the cast is adequate, and besides the melodrama there are some good shots of the steel mill. There is a pretty good opening sequence that effectively establishes the feel of being in the mill as steel is being made. It does, however, lead the viewer to expect a serious drama, rather than the exaggerated story that follows.

While not believable enough to be effective as social commentary, this film might still have enough to be of interest to viewers who really enjoy good-versus-evil melodramas.

A rare turn for Lionel Atwill as the hero. He plays a factory owner and friend of the working man who is crippled by a real piece of work (Jameson Thomas), who not only steals the guy's company but his wife as well. Years later Atwill plots to get even with the help of a blind homeless man.

Well this certainly sounds like a hoot, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it never quite hits the mark. I did like it, especially the first half, but it just kind of petered out after that. This is largely due to the static direction, a colorless villain, and a script that could use some punching up. Also the movie hits one of my pet peeves by skipping over some events and filling them in after the fact, largely through dialogue. "Show not tell" almost always works better, in my view.

John 'Flint' Dawson (Lionel Atwill) was delivered one of the worst two-piece combinations you could possibly get. He lost his legs in an industrial accident, then while he was in recovery he lost his wife, his daughter, and all of his money to the same guy! That would make me want to do one of two things: commit suicide or go on a killing spree.

John was a better man than me.

John Dawson was the general manager of a steel mill and he also had a controlling interest in it. The man who ruined his life was James 'Jim' Marley (Jameson Thomas). He wanted Flint Dawson's company, and his wife was a necessary tool to get it.

Dawson never knew what hit him. He was crippled and broke within the blink of an eye. He resorted to panhandling like so many other disabled men. But, being the resourceful man he was, Dawson united thousands of unemployed cripple men to make a consortium to benefit all of them. It was either the new chapter in his life or his attempts to close an old chapter.

"Beggars in Ermine" was decent. It had enough going on to keep me attentive and invested in the ending. Based upon some of the things that occurred in the movie, If this same movie was made today, it would be about meme stocks. And who wasn't at least curious about the success of meme stocks?

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