Gang War
Encyclopedia
Gang War is a 1928 gangster film, best known for being the main feature attached to Steamboat Willie
, the debut of Mickey Mouse
in sound. The film starred Jack Pickford
in his last major role, as "Clyde", a saxophone
player whose love for a dancer named Flowers (Olive Borden
) traps him in the middle of a gang war
. Despite the all-star cast and advanced effects, including synchronised sound
, the film is largely unknown in its own right, being overshadowed by its far more famous preceding short.
on the San Francisco Bay
waterfront. One night, he meets Flowers, and teaches her to dance, but finds that "Blackjack" (Eddie Gribbon
), the leader of a ruthless gang, is also in love with her. Despite the intense turf war
between "Blackjack" and a rival gangster named Mike Luego (Walter Long
), "Blackjack" wins the heart of Flowers and marries her, but without consummating the marriage
. Clyde is eventually able to win "Blackjack" over however, and "Blackjack" sacrifices himself to protect Clyde and Flowers from Luego. Gang War was produced in black and white on Academy ratio
35 mm film
, and was originally to be a silent film. However, a spoken prologue
was added, in which a group of reporters (including one played by Mabel Albertson
) discuss the events that are to come.
called it "better than the majority of its ilk", the paper still dismissed it as "More Gang Fights". In particular, the paper found the movie to be rather cliché
— it balked at the sentimentality of "Blackjack"'s death scene and claimed the writers "would confer a favor upon a patient public if they mutinied against the use of some words, especially that simple monosyllable, 'well' ". The Allmovie rated the film just 1.5 stars out of 5, calling the prologue "irrelevant", but praising Long's performance as being "brutish" but "right in his element".
Steamboat Willie
Steamboat Willie is a 1928 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. It was produced in black-and-white by The Walt Disney Studio and released by Celebrity Productions. The cartoon is considered the debut of Mickey Mouse, and as his girlfriend Minnie, but the characters...
, the debut of Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
in sound. The film starred Jack Pickford
Jack Pickford
Jack Pickford was a Canadian-born American actor. He was best known for his tabloid lifestyle, marriage to the top starlets of his day, and being of the famous Pickford acting family.-Early life:...
in his last major role, as "Clyde", a saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player whose love for a dancer named Flowers (Olive Borden
Olive Borden
Olive Borden was an American actress in silent and early talkies. Nicknamed "The Joy Girl", Borden was known for her jet-black hair and overall beauty.-Early life:Olive Borden was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1906...
) traps him in the middle of a gang war
Turf war
According to Wordnet the definition of a turf war is "a bitter struggle for territory or power or control or rights". For example: a turf war erupted between street gangs; the president's resignation was the result of a turf war with the board of directors. In larger companies Turf wars could...
. Despite the all-star cast and advanced effects, including synchronised sound
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, the film is largely unknown in its own right, being overshadowed by its far more famous preceding short.
Plot
The film follows the saxophone player Clyde, who busksBusking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
on the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
waterfront. One night, he meets Flowers, and teaches her to dance, but finds that "Blackjack" (Eddie Gribbon
Eddie Gribbon
Eddie Gribbon was an American film actor. He appeared in 184 films between 1916 and 1951.He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California from cancer...
), the leader of a ruthless gang, is also in love with her. Despite the intense turf war
Turf war
According to Wordnet the definition of a turf war is "a bitter struggle for territory or power or control or rights". For example: a turf war erupted between street gangs; the president's resignation was the result of a turf war with the board of directors. In larger companies Turf wars could...
between "Blackjack" and a rival gangster named Mike Luego (Walter Long
Walter Long (actor)
Walter Huntley Long was an American character actor in films from the 1910s. He was born in Nashua, New Hampshire.-Career:He appeared in many D. W...
), "Blackjack" wins the heart of Flowers and marries her, but without consummating the marriage
Consummate
Consummation or consummation of a marriage, in many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, is the first act of sexual intercourse between two individuals, following their marriage to each other...
. Clyde is eventually able to win "Blackjack" over however, and "Blackjack" sacrifices himself to protect Clyde and Flowers from Luego. Gang War was produced in black and white on Academy ratio
Academy ratio
The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.The Academy ratio is...
35 mm film
35 mm film
35 mm film is the film gauge most commonly used for chemical still photography and motion pictures. The name of the gauge refers to the width of the photographic film, which consists of strips 35 millimeters in width...
, and was originally to be a silent film. However, a spoken prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
was added, in which a group of reporters (including one played by Mabel Albertson
Mabel Albertson
Mabel Albertson was an American actress.Albertson was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, the daughter of Russian-born Jewish immigrants Flora Craft and Leopold Albertson. Her brother was actor Jack Albertson...
) discuss the events that are to come.
Reception
Reception to the movie was rather muted; while The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "better than the majority of its ilk", the paper still dismissed it as "More Gang Fights". In particular, the paper found the movie to be rather cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
— it balked at the sentimentality of "Blackjack"'s death scene and claimed the writers "would confer a favor upon a patient public if they mutinied against the use of some words, especially that simple monosyllable, 'well' ". The Allmovie rated the film just 1.5 stars out of 5, calling the prologue "irrelevant", but praising Long's performance as being "brutish" but "right in his element".