The Public Enemy
Seen it?1931 | 84 min | Crime, Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved The Dark Knight or Batman, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 24 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1931: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$557K worldwide on a $151K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 130K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by William A. Wellman
- James CagneyTom Powers
- Jean HarlowGwen Allen
- Edward WoodsMatt Doyle
- Joan BlondellMamie
- Donald CookMike Powers
- Leslie FentonSamuel 'Nails' Nathan
- Beryl MercerMa Powers
- Robert Emmett O'ConnorPaddy Ryan
- Murray KinnellPutty Nose
- Clark BurroughsDutch (uncredited)