| Overall Grade: |
A- |
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| Story: |
A- |
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| Acting: |
A- |
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| Direction: |
A |
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| Visuals: |
A- |
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Enemy Of The Public!
by Rye. (movies profile)
Jan 30, 2006
Gangster warfare, mass robbery and illegal alcohol distribution sets the stage in this dramatically realistic film, as based on the story ‘Beer and Blood’ by John Bright, and inspired by the life of Chicago gangster Charles Dion ‘Deanie’ O’Bannion, archenemy of Al Capone. Set in the Probation-era, the plot slightly focuses on the young juvenile delinquents who begin there careers that’s plagued with societies criminal element. As time marches on, Tom Powers [James Cagney] and Matt Doyle [Eddie Woods] engage in violent crime sprees, as they now represent the scourge of the city with there style of brute aggression. Tom faces problems at home, as his brother Mike [Donald Cook] losses all respect towards him, and won’t allow the now famous gangster to financially assist there mother [Beryl Mercer]. As mob violence escalates, Tom gets ahead of himself, as his ill-fated stature in the criminal-world would prove to be his downfall, as his girlfriend Gwen Allen [Jean Harlow] is frustrated with his illegal lifestyle and miserable attitude is forced to leave him after he explodes into one of his violent escapades and lashes out at her. Brought to the screen in a chilling rendition of an adapted story, director William A. Wellman depicts a plot that highlight gangsters is accurately realistic format. With sturdy performances by all accounted, especially actor James Cagney who was deeply submerged into character. The title role represented the first lead in a feature film by James Cagney, the actor was praised from the staff and production crew for his workman like attitude by engaging in his own stunts, which include standing a foot away while a marksman fired live machine-gun rounds at a nearby wall injuring the actor as he takes real blows on his face. The role would cement his image in Hollywood as a tough guy, which he played in many subsequent films, including The Crowd Roars [1932], Jimmy The Gent [1934], ‘G’ Men [1935], Angles With Dirty Faces [1938], The Roaring Twenties [1939], The Strawberry Blonde [1941], and White Heat [1949]. |
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