The Public Enemy (1931)

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Kubec Glasmon (written by) and
John Bright (written by) ...

Release Date:

23 April 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

A young hoodlum rises up through the ranks of the Chicago underworld, even as a gangster's accidental death threatens to spark a bloody mob war.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster Film | Irish American | Spanking | Gangster | 1910s

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

James Cagney	...	Tom Powers
Jean Harlow	...	Gwen Allen
Edward Woods	...	Matt Doyle
Joan Blondell	...	Mamie
Donald Cook	...	Mike Powers
Leslie Fenton	...	Nails Nathan
Beryl Mercer	...	Ma Powers
Robert Emmett O'Connor	...	Paddy Ryan (as Robert O'Connor)
Murray Kinnell	...	Putty Nose

Also Known As:

Beer and Blood (USA) (working title)
Enemies of the Public (UK)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Brunswick)

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating) | New Zealand:PG | Sweden:(Banned) | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Several versions exist of the origin of the notorious grapefruit scene, but the most plausible is the one on which James Cagney and Mae Clarke agree: The scene, they explained, was actually staged as a practical joke at the expense of the film crew, just to see their stunned reactions. There was never any intention of ever using the shot in the completed film. Director Wellman, however, eventually decided to keep the shot, and use it in the film's final release print.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the phonograph needle is put on the record for the music that will play throughout the last scene, the music begins well before the needle touches the record.

Quotes:

Tom Powers: I ain't so tough.

Movie Connections:

Edited into American Pop (1981)

Soundtrack:

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

83 minutes of Cinematic Bliss

Larger than life classic that chronicles the life of a street hustler turned crime lord in prohibition Chicago, based loosely on the various antics of the Irish mega-hoodlums, O'Bannon and Moran.

While we may never literally create a time machine, these old movies give you the miracle of observation at least of what life was once like. Sadly many of the old films have been destroyed through neglect, so the pickings are very slim. Public Enemy is one of the best old movies available. For only the sheer pleasure of seeing what all the fuss was about in Cagney and Harlow, it's worth a viewing. Director Wellman creates some extremely lasting images you won't want to miss, and it almost makes me think of the original Frankenstein for that reason. The final sequence especially is a dramatic example of lasting imagery in film, quite an unforgettable experience. If you like Godfather, Scarface, Goodfellas, and who doesn't, you owe it yourself to watch what may be the patriarch of the entire genre. Interestingly, while the film has a campy disclaimer demonizing the subject matter and mandating public action in order to address the evils of organized crime, it's rather obvious that the producers new exactly what they were really doing by making a film like this. Brutal as some of the action is, Cagney's charisma glorifies the gangster as much as Coppola, Scorsese and all the rest glorify modern organized crime. See it for yourself!!!