The Last Gangster (1937)

A organized crime big shot is jailed for ten years after his wife becomes pregnant and becomes bitter when she divorces him and remarries.

Director:

Edward Ludwig

Writers:

John Lee Mahin (screen play), William A. Wellman (original story),

Stars:

Edward G. Robinson, James Stewart, Rose Stradner

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward G. Robinson	...	Joe Krozac
James Stewart	...	Paul North
Rose Stradner	...	Talya Krozac
Lionel Stander	...	'Curly'
Douglas Scott	...	The Boy
John Carradine	...	Caspar
Sidney Blackmer	...	Editor
Grant Mitchell	...	Warden
Edward Brophy	...	'Fats Garvey' (as Edward S. Brody)
Alan Baxter	...	Acey Kile
Frank Conroy	...	Sid Gorman
Louise Beavers	...	Gloria

Storyline

Gangster Joe Krozac is in prison for ten years. Reporter Paul North is fired by his newspaper for writing articles sympathetic to Krozac's wife and young son. She divorces Krozac and marries North. When Korzac gets out he goes looking for his former wife and son.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | newspaper | alcatraz | penitentiary | reporter | 

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Taglines:

The Romance of a Gangster's Life told in GRIPPING DRAMA!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Another Public Enemy

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Luise Rainer was initially set to star.

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Goofs

All of Rose Stradner's clothing and hairstyles in the 1927 sequences are strictly in the style of 1937.

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Quotes

Frankie 'Acey' Kile: [as he is being led away by police] Hello, joe. I'll see you in ten years, and I'll have a little valentine for you when you get out.

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Crazy Credits

Credits appear as news headlines.

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Connections

Featured in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

User Reviews

Superior character study

The movies have always relied on clear-cut heroes and villains to either engage the sympathy or incur the animosity of members of the audience: simplistic, and far removed from real life. Much more thought-provoking are the occasional characters such as the lead in this film, an egotistical, tough-as-nails crime kingpin and killer, who nevertheless emerges convincingly as a man capable of sympathy and single-minded devotion. The scenario is to be commended for making the complexities and seeming contradictions in this character altogether believable. Of course it is the performer who must make this come alive on the screen, and here Edward G. Robinson succeeds brilliantly. In a gallery of great performances by such a fine actor, this one deserves to be much better known.