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The Public Enemy
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The Public Enemy (1931) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   5,272 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 99% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
William A. Wellman
Writers:
Kubec Glasmon (written by) and
John Bright (written by) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Public Enemy on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 April 1931 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama more
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. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win more
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
The 10 Sexiest Gangster Girlfriends of All Time Ever
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 2 July 2009, 7:19 PM, PDT)

DVD Set Explores Delinquent-turned-director
 (From New York Post. 23 March 2009, 10:40 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
83 minutes of Cinematic Bliss more

Cast

  (Complete credited 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
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Beer and Blood (USA) (working title)
Enemies of the Public (UK)
more
Runtime:
83 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Brunswick)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The infamous grapefruit scene caused women's groups around America to protest the on-screen abuse of Mae Clarke. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the scene were Tom and Mike are talking at the kitchen table Tom's hat brim goes from being up to down without Tom touching it. more
Quotes:
Tom Powers: [Tom stumbles from a gun fight gone wrong with the rival gang. He's barely walking and soaked from the rain] ... I ain't so tough.
[Tom collapses in the gutter]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Some Like It Hot (1959) more
Soundtrack:
I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
12 out of 14 people found the following comment useful:-
83 minutes of Cinematic Bliss, 9 August 2003
Author: J. Wellington Peevis from Malltown

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!!!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Public Enemy (1931)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Remake? ratatatcat29
shooting the horse Davina-8
Does anyone feel sorry for Putty Nose when Tom kills him? mlraymond
SHOOT OUT AT THE END OF MOVIE COUPONSSAVER
help with the characters gixian
What was the last thing James Cagney Said?? mikehunt620
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