All silent movie reviews are complete and unabridged.
BEGGARS OF LIFE
Starring Richard Arlen and Louise Brooks
PHOTOPLAY
December 1928
The picturization of Jim Tully's lie story is good entertainment. The incidents from tramp life are interesting because of their novelty. Louise Brooks and Richard Arlen furnish the romance, and the manner is new and intriguing. Wallace Beery's song seems to fit the dominating, yet genial, tramp he portrays, and sound effects contribute to the realitic atmosphere. Not dull, by any means.
BEGGARS OF LIFE
Starring Richard Arlen and Louise Brooks
MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE
January, 1929
A nice little picture that is both amusing and touching has been made from Jim Tully's story. It concerns a girl who murders a man in self-defense and escapes, in boy's clothes, with a young hobo she picks up. The story is simply the events of their journey into safe territory, and the awakening of their love. There are some colorful and exciting scenes of hoboes in their "jungle," and in a box car. Nobody knows why the booy is a tramp or where he got his fine instincts, but it doesn't really matter very much. He is played with great sincerity by Richard Arlen. Louise Brooks is cute in her little trousers, and not so cute in the final feminine sun bonnet. Wallace Beery, just recently delivered from many successful comedies, is excellent. This is rough, romantic, tender, dramatic, and very good indeed.