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Director William Wellman (Wings), a World War I veteran who turned his experiences in battle into an insistence on unpretentious violence in his films, made Public Enemy a particularly brutal account of the rise and fall of a monstrous gangster (James Cagney). Cagney delivers one of the most famous performances in film history as the snarling crook who--in one of the film's most famous scenes--smashes a grapefruit into the face of Mae Clarke. The film's a bit dated, but its action scenes still pack an unusual wallop. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - WILLIAM A. WELLMAN, OPUS 23
***** 1931. Directed by William A. Wellman. The screenplay earned an Academy award nomination. During the prohibition, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle become part of the Paddy Ryan gang and enjoy the mobster life. For a while. Cagney, Harlow and Blondell are great in this film any movie lover should own. At least, two scenes of THE PUBLIC ENEMY are already part of history: the grapefruit squeezed over the face of James Cagney's girl-friend and the final apparition of Cagney more spectacular than any movie ... Read More
Rating: - The Ultimate Tough Guy
Tom Powers (James Cagney) is a heel and has been ever since childhood when he and his friend Matt Doyle (Edward Woods) used to steal beer and torment the neighborhood. Now he's all grown up and he has moved on to bigger but not better things. From manhandling his women (Mae Clarke) to murdering old pals, Tom is nothing short of a terror. In spite of his nastiness, one can't help but like him and hope that he gets away with his terrible deeds.
The use of violence in the film is interesting. ... Read More
Rating:  - Classic Period Piece
Public Ememy is a classic "period piece" that takes you back to that time & place in American history (which is what the truely great period movies do) and it still "hold up well" even though it is going on 80 years old.
Rating:  - shottas
The dvd was defective and did not play. I tried it in two dvd players.
The other ones played. I am currently diputing this transaction with my credit card company.
Rating: - A great film
Amazingly this film came out the same year as 'Little Ceasar'. Two great and highly influential gangster movies released in 1931.
The most obvious film that this influenced was Scorsese's Goodfellas. Cagney's character is Tommy (Tommy is Joe Pesci). The first ten minutes of the film are two boys learning how to be gangsters. Its the same in Goodfellas. Robert DeNiro played Jimmy Conway. 'Nails' Nathan is Jimmy. Both play the older guy looking after their younger compatriates.
The ... Read More
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