LOUISE BROOKS AS GIRL | BEGGARS OF LIFE (1928) Photo by Gene Robert Richee

[Los Angeles]: Paramount Pictures, [1928]. Vintage original 8 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm.) black-and-white glossy silver gelatin photo. Original Paramount and photographer Gene Robert ink stamp on verso. Original pencil notations state that this image was used to explain the costume that Louise is wearing, indicating it is of blue dotted Swiss origin.

Adventure tale of a young abused woman who kills her father and, dressed as a boy, joins two hobos on the road as she flees to Canada. Directed by William Wellman, who would explore the vagabond life again a few years later in his film Wild Boys of the Road. This film gave Louise Brooks her most significant role in American films. The director greatly respected Brooks, and when her career was in decline in 1931 he asked her to play the lead in The Public Enemy. She turned it down, telling Wellman that she loved making movies but hated Hollywood. Years later she would tell her stories in several entertaining books.

Photo is coded 710-162.