Two Irish boys, Tom and Matt, grow up on the wrong side of Chicago and end up the meanest, baddest gansters around. Women, money and fear are their's but rejection by his brother and mother hits Tom hard.
by Jake Hamilton |
Published on
Release Date:
23 Apr 1931
Running Time:
83 minutes
Certificate:
PG
Original Title:
Public Enemy , The
"I'll bring you the toughest, most violent picture you ever did see." So ran the pitch director William Wellman put to Hollywood mogul Darryl Zanuck of this classic gangster chronicle. And he was right. By showing kids growing into brutal hoodlums during prohibition America, Public Enemy broke all the rules.
Its feral, amoral depiction of crime is still a benchmark in the gangster genre. And when swaggering James Cagney squashes that grapefruit in Mae Clarke's nose, you have one of the iconic images of American cinema.
Still a classic of the gangster genre, showing neither glorifying the life nor pulling it's punches.
Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us
