Customer Reviews

Public Enemy

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

loved this movie, very good gangster movie from the early 30's, you gotta love james gagney in this movie, what a joy

Better than Little Caesar, but not as good as Scarface, but still a damn fine gangster film. I enjoyed the life long rise and fall of Tommy Powers, there were many, many times that this film felt like a major inspiration for Goodfellas (just several little things made me think this quite often). I liked several little touches, like the implication that Putty nose was homosexual, it's interesting to see how they insinuated those sorts of things back in the day. I based this on three things: Putty nose singing to the kid sitting on his piano in 1909 (like a woman traditionally does), the way he sticks his rear into Tommy's face in 1917, and the way Nails eggs Tommy on with the word SOFT, the way he says and uses this word especially, and perhaps the physicality of his character--a slender conniving, almost effeminate man. This may not seem like much, but I know for a fact that there is supposed to be a strong incestuas relationship implied between Tony Camote and his sister in Scarface, and I think Public Enemy shares that 30s style of slying implying things but never saying them outright. Another thing thats fascinating when seeing these similar time period films, is that you start to notice house styles. I saw two thirties films by WB earlier this year "Oil for the Lamps of China" and "Stella Dallas" between those two, Little Caesar, and Public Enemy, more and more styles seem to jump out at me, ways of staging or lighting things, the sorts of performances achieved and the look of the actors themselves.
Anyway back to Public Enemy. A fine fine gangster film, I love that incredible moment, when in the pouring rain Tommy goes into hit several guys, then staggers out into the rain--shot--and its raining even harder. This nadir of Tommy's life is perfectly done, and seems to be the sort of thing that would later inspire Kurasawa in his use of rain. And the final scene when Tommy is brought back to the house is utterly chilling, especially the look in his brothers eyes. Not quite the ending of I am a fugitive... Scarface or Stagecoach, but still an incredible way to end the film.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents "THE PUBLIC ENEMY" (23 April 1931) (84 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Friends Tom and Matt go from small time to big time crime during prohibition --- Tom tires of his mistress Kitty (he pushes a grapefruit into her face) and falls for Gwen who resists his advances except when it looks as though he might dump her --- When Matt is killed, Tom goes after the murderers.

"The Public Enemy" was Cagney's breakout film, and really he makes a powerful and accurate job --- Strong acting is provided by the whole cast --- The director William A. Wellmann handles the movie with sound talent.

Mae Clarke was immortalized as the recipient of James Cagney's classic grapefruit-in-the-face.

Academy Award nominations for Best Writing & Best Original Story

Under the production staff of:
William A. Wellman [Director]
Kubec Glasmon [Screenplay]
John Bright [Screenplay]
Harvey F. Thew [Screen adaptation]
Darryl F. Zanuck [Producer]
Devereaux Jennings [Cinematographer]
Edward M. McDermott [Film Editor]

BIOS:
1. William A. Wellman [Director]
Date of Birth: 29 February 1896 - Brookline, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 9 December 1975 - Los Angeles, California

2. James Cagney [aka: James Francis Cagney]
Date of Birth: 17 July 1899 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 30 March 1986 - Stanfordville, New York

the cast includes:
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
Murray Kinnell - Putty Nose
Clark Burroughs - Dutch
Mae Clarke ... Kitty

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 84 min on DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (01/25/2005)

William Wellman's "The Public Enemy" (1931) remains the benchmark acheivement in crime cinema by which all successors tip their hats. It stars James Cagney in a breakout performance that established him as one of Warner Bros. 'tough guys' in their so called "murderer's row" roster of heavies. Here Cagney is Tom Powers, a deviant from the wrong side of the tracks who refuses to mellow with age. Together with his buddy, Matt Doyle (Edward Woods), Tom becomes a one man crime wave - taking his chances, living high and accosting and abusing women along the way. His grapefruit in Kitty's (Mae Clarke) kisser is justly remembered as a violent and violating act against the fairer sex. But Tom doesn't care. Life is cheap and exciting. Jean Harlow cuts an elegantly seedy swath as Gwen Allen. Joan Blondell, as another toss away trollop - but with a knife in her - adds to the raw tension of the story. Only the congenial, Mike (Donald Cook) pleads with Tom to mend his wicked ways. He is, after all, Tom's only brother. Taut energy and the enigmatic presence of Cagney (then on the verge of international stardom) make "The Public Enemy" enthralling and electric.

Warner's DVD transfer is justly an improvement over previous video incarnations. Though age related artifacts still exist the remastered print elements are generally smooth and inviting. Certain brief sections of the film appear to have been duped in using second or third generation film sources, leading to a considerable variation in image quality. When it's good, the image exhibits a sharp, nicely contrasted beauty not found in previous releases of this film to video. The gray scale has been impeccibly rendered. There are moments where film grain will appear more excessive but this, again, is the fault of a 70 plus year old negative. The audio is mono and exhibits a decided hiss which is a limitation of the old Warner Vitaphone process of sound recording. No more could have been done by the good people at Warners on this transfer. It is head and shoulders above anything the film has looked like in years. Extras include an engaging audio commentary by film historian Robert Sklar, a featurette and the return of Leonard Maltin, hosting "Warner Night at the Movies." Highly recommended.

There is very little waste in PUBLIC ENEMY and it is easy to see why this film caused such a sensation in 1931. The movie is about the steady rise of a professional criminal (James Cagney) from before World War I through the early years of Prohibition. The acting by Cagney, Joan Blondell and Mae Clarke is excellent. The strong supporting cast includes Beryl Mercer, Edward Woods and Jean Harlow.

PUBLIC ENEMY received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Story (John Bright and Kubec Glasmon). The film has certainly stood the test of time and the final scene has remained unforgettable. William Wellman also directed BEAU GESTE, WINGS and THE STORY OF G.I. JOE.

"The Pubic Enemy" is a textbook cautionary tale typical of 1930's crime flicks. Titillation and excitement disguised as a moral lesson warning good kids from the dark side.

Starting small as a young punk, Tom Powers quickly falls in with the bad crowd of bootleggers, gamblers, loose women and homosexuals. A few years go by, the crimes get more dangerous and more dubious, and soon little Tommy finds himself lost forever. Of course, his brother is on the side of the angels, and the two find themselves at odds of who can best take care of dear 'ol Ma. Conflict ensues, both moral and physical.

The acting is good, and the filming is overall enjoyable. The story is dated, not so much by age but by spoofing in films such as "Johnny Dangerously." Cagney does a great job as the sweet boy gone wrong. Worth watching, still lots of shine in this old gem.

I liked this movie less than I thought I might, based on the other reviews. I still give it 3 stars, as better than average, but not 4 or 5.

Viewability is lost a little on the VHS version I rented. But what interested me was: 1. watching Cagney in his first movie, knowing he was destined for superstardom and 2. watching a movie made in 1931 when my mom was only 8 years old. Defineately worth renting for the average movie watcher.

From the beginning of Prohibition in 1920, crime was the number one topic in the American consciousness. Organized crime was just establishing a stranglehold on nearly every sector of life and street crime punctuated by the use of the Tommy gun was becoming increasing evident. Hollywood lifted the previous blanket of movie anonymity on crime with the release of PUBLIC ENEMY in 1931. The producers were careful to insert two disclaimers that the characters in the film represented a type of criminal that had to be identified and eliminated. Tommy Powers, superbly played by an alternating snarling then smiling James Cagney, was meant to be seen more as an allegorical figure of vice run riot than as a fully fleshed human being. Unfortunately for the hopes of the censors, they did not figure on the capacity of James Cagney to invest his role of Tommy Powers with a complex surge of passion mixed with no small dose of audience sympathy that ultimately allows a straightjacket bound Powers to exit the final reel in such a way that the audience can feel the same loss that his brother felt when he opened the door to see Tommy fall through.
The movie opens with a juvenile Tommy living with his family in Chicago, learning even then the rudiments of a criminal code of honor and justice that he would adhere to for the rest of his life. At home, his policeman father often beats him with a strap in such a futile way that Tommy's nonchalant response brings to mind a future Marlon Brando telling his abductors who are beating him that his old man hits harder than that. Although the film does expicitly show the father being abusive to the rest of the family, director William Wellman suggests that the violence inflicted on a youthful Tommy is not limited only to him. Violence, then, becomes a way of life and a solution to both personal and professional problems. As an adult, Tommy (now played by Cagney) and his chum played by Edward Woods embark on a life of crime that shows both as willing to kill when killing can solve a problem. Further, Tommy cold bloodedly kills a man in revenge for a hurt done years before in a way that resonates as savage even by today's standards. The victim begs Tommy for his life even as he plays a piano and sings a song in the hope that the song will arouse a shred of pity. Tommy shoots him in mid key and walks out of the room without a backward glance. Tommy's relations with women are equally twisted by his belief that violence is the solution to any issue. The infamous grapefruit scene with Mae Clarke has lingered long in the audience's mind as an archetype of misogynistic hatred of women. Tommy seems a little more relaxed in the company of Jean Harlow whose love for him alters and softens the audience's perception of his clear failings. As Tommy pokes his friends and family on their respective chins, the viewer can sense that Tommy is struggling to express a lighter, gentler side that his environment has taught him to suppress. When Tommy walks into a bar to avenge the killing of his best friend, his smile radiates his certainty that his revenge will kill him, but his code of honor demands nothing less. When he exits the bar, he has killed them all but is badly wounded. As he staggers, he shouts, 'I am not so tough.' He may have thought so, but the audience would probably disagree. His stoic convalescence, his being kidnapped by a rival gang, and his unexpected return as a bound mummy left leaning on his mother's door have rendered the public perception of Tommy Powers in a way far different from the producers' original intent. Tommy Powers was meant to be seen only as the criminal scum of the earth. James Cagney managed to do that but also forced viewers to look behind the snarl to see a little boy being whipped by a sadistic father and learning even then how to hide his emotions under a veneer or false bravado.

This powerful and stunning gangster film starrs James Cagney, a small time hood who eventually rises to the top as a notorious gangster. Cagney established his "type" as a tough guy with this one. He also gets to smoosh a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face (producing the all-time classic still photo).

"Public Enemy" joins the trio of classic gangster films, including "Scarface" (Hummphrey Bogard) and "Little Caesar" (Edward G. Robinson), setting the conventions of the genre. A young Jean Harlow makes a lasting impression with her stellar performance. The original script received an Oscar nomination. A five-star movie classic!*****

This little Warner's flick was hot stuff back in 1931! Two friends, Tom (Jimmy) and Matt (Eddie Woods), start their career of criminal activities with petty thefts and later graduate to big-time rackets. Tom's brother (Donald Cook) cannot convice Tom to reform, but manages to keep his brother's sordid activities from their mother's (Beryl Mercer) knowledge. Cagney is terrific as usual in his zesty,energetic, keenly vivid and sharply humourous performance; both critics and the public alike took notice of this rising young star. Jean Harlow, as Gwen - the icey platinum blonde siren - hadn't yet learned the necessary techniques of film acting and her performance borders on being ludicrous; critics of the day were less than kind in their reviews. For some obscure reason, the second lead - Edward Woods - never clicked in films; just why I don't know; he was quite good as Matt and he was definitely photogenic - two years later, he was reduced to playing a bit as a bell-hop who brought John Barrymore his booze in DINNER AT EIGHT. One of the very few actresses I could never abide was the whiney Beryl Mercer. Originally, ZaSu Pitts was to play Lew Ayre's bedridden mother in ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (made the year before) but preview audiences snickered at the very sight of her as they associated her with comedy roles - the very sight of Mercer - her replacement - is enough to make one wince! A classic scene: A less than enchanted Mae Clarke gets half a grapefruit smashed right smack onto her left cheek by the no-nonsense Jimmy at the breakfast table! (this was supposedly NOT in the shooting script, but rather improvised!).