Bullets or Ballots (1936)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Seton I. Miller (screenplay)
Martin Mooney (story) ...

Release Date:

6 June 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

WHO Rules The Rackets ? This picture puts the finger on the political higher-ups!

Plot:

After Police Captain Dan McLaren becomes police commissioner former detective Johnny Blake knocks him...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Main Character Dies | Beautiful Woman | Source Music | Reformer

Cast

Edward G. Robinson	...	Johnny Blake
Joan Blondell	...	Lee Morgan
Barton MacLane	...	Al Kruger
Humphrey Bogart	...	'Bugs' Fenner
Frank McHugh	...	Herman
Joe King	...	Capt. Dan 'Mac' McLaren (as Joseph King)
Dick Purcell	...	Ed Driscoll (as Richard Purcell)
George E. Stone	...	Wires Kagel
Joseph Crehan	...	Johnson (Grand Jury spokesman)
Henry O'Neill	...	Ward Bryant, Newspaper Publisher
Henry Kolker	...	Mr. Hollister
Gilbert Emery	...	Mr. Thorndyke
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Mr. Caldwell
Louise Beavers	...	Nellie LaFleur
Norman Willis	...	Louie Vinci

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #2155)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the film, it is suggested that Joan Blondell's character got the idea of the numbers racket from her assistant, "Nellie". In reality, the numbers racket was pioneered by black gambling racketeers in Harlem. The "Nellie" character was based on Stephanie "Madame Queen" St. Clair (Nellie scoffs at being called "Madam Nellie"). As in the film, the numbers racket was eventually taken over by "Dutch" Schultz and "Lucky" Luciano (The Humphrey Bogart and Barton MacLane characters, respectively).

Goofs:

Continuity: When "Bugs" Fenner enters the hotel and shoots Johnny Blake, he is seen firing a .45 Automatic. However, after Blake guns Fenner down and passes his corpse on the stairwell, the camera pans down to Fenner and there is a .38 Revolver in his hand.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Lady In Red

Edward G. Robinson played GOOD & EVIL GUY!

Enjoyed viewing is great film directed by William Keighley, it has a great cast of Veteran Classic actors. Keighley produced another great film,"Street With No Name",'48. Edward G. Robinson,(Detective John Blake),"The Red House,"'47, was trying to be a good cop and keep the city from being taken over by the hoods. Joan Blondell,(Lee Morgan),"Big Daddy,"'65 has a big crush on Blake and also has a Numbers Racket going on in town that the hoods become interested in obtaining. Barton MacLane (Al Kruger),"Captain Scarface",'53 is one of the big shot gangsters and tries to get John Blake to change sides and join the bad guys. Humphrey Bogart,(Nick Bugs Fenner), "Dead End",'37, looks very young and just starting out in his acting career, does not trust John Blake and is a trigger happy gangster who will stop at nothing to become the Number 1 HOOD! If you love old gangster films with great actors, this is the film for YOU!