[.ca] Public Enemy (1931)

Amazon.com essential video:
Director William Wellman (Wings), a World War I veteran who turned his experiences in battle into an insistence on unpretentious violence in his films, made Public Enemy a particularly brutal account of the rise and fall of a monstrous gangster (James Cagney). Cagney delivers one of the most famous performances in film history as the snarling crook who--in one of the film's most famous scenes--smashes a grapefruit into the face of Mae Clarke. The film's a bit dated, but its action scenes still pack an unusual wallop. --Tom Keogh

Outstanding classic Gangster film.:
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.

good movie - good view of 1931.:
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.

I...ain't...so...tough...:
"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.

BETTER THAN AVERAGE TRANSFER OF A CLASSIC CRIME CAPER:
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.

An Unforgettable Final Scene:
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.