An Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime.An Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime.An Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
- Paddy Ryan
- (as Robert O'Connor)
- Goon
- (uncredited)
- Dutch
- (uncredited)
- Kitty
- (uncredited)
- Tom as a Boy
- (uncredited)
- Machine Gunner
- (uncredited)
- Matt as a Boy
- (uncredited)
- Miller
- (uncredited)
- Molly Doyle
- (uncredited)
- Nails' Girl
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOn the set one day, James Cagney stared at Jean Harlow's nipples and asked, likely in perfect innocence and good humor, "How do you keep those things up?" "I ice them," Harlow said, before trotting off to her dressing room to do just that.
- GoofsThe "Foreword" mentions that the movie is to depict "a certain strata of American life." "Strata" is the plural form of "stratum." The phrase should have been written "a certain stratum of American life."
- Quotes
Tom Powers: [Tom shuffles to the breakfast table in his pajamas. He's just finished a demanding call with Nails Nathan] Ain't you got a drink in the house?
Kitty: Well, not before breakfast, dear.
Tom Powers: [immediately annoyed] ... I didn't ask you for any lip. I asked you if you had a drink.
Kitty: [sheepishly] I know Tom, but I, I wish that...
Tom Powers: ... there you go with that wishin' stuff again. I wish you was a wishing well. So that I could tie a bucket to ya and sink ya.
Kitty: Well, maybe you've found someone you like better.
[Angered, Tom grimaces and shoves a piece of grapefruit in her face as he leaves the table.]
- Crazy creditsIt is the ambition of the authors of "The Public Enemy" to honestly depict the environment that exists today in a certain strata of American life, rather than glorify the hoodlum or the criminal. While the story of "The Public Enemy" is essentially a true story, all names and characters appearing herein, are purely fictional.
- Alternate versionsFor a 1941 re-release, three scenes in "The Public Enemy" were censored to comply with the Production Code. These censored segments (including an extended edit of the scene involving the gay tailor) were restored for the 2005 DVD release.
- ConnectionsEdited into Three on a Match (1932)
- SoundtracksI'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
(1919) (uncredited)
Music by James Kendis, James Brockman and Nat Vincent
Played at various times throughout the film
Of course this film about a young man's rise to prominence in the bootleg liquor business during Prohibition made James Cagney a star. Interestingly enough Edward Woods was originally supposed to be Tom Powers and Cagney was cast as best friend Matt Doyle. After some footage had been shot, Director William Wellman scrapped it and had Cagney and Woods exchange roles. Stars get born in many and strange ways.
Some critics have complained about Beryl Mercer's part as Cagney's mother, saying she's overacts the ditziness. I disagree with that completely. In the prologue section with Cagney and Woods as juveniles, there is a two parent household. The boys have a stern Irish father and a mom who'd spoil them if she could. The older kid who is later played by Donald Cook has more the benefit of the two family home and both influences. That and the fact that World War I leaves him partially disabled prevents him from thinking about the gangster trade. Cagney misses the war and is spoiled by mom.
I knew a woman like Beryl, in her own world with a stream of nonsensical chatter to keep out the reality of things. Her portrayal for me rings true.
Oddly enough in The Roaring Twenties Cagney is a veteran who enters the rackets because he can't get a legitimate job and its easy money.
Both The Public Enemy and Little Caesar are short films, edited down to the essentials so the viewer ain't bored for a minute. Warner Brothers sure knew how to do those gangster flicks.
- bkoganbing
- Dec 16, 2005
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Beer and Blood
- Filming locations
- Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA(convertible ride with Jean Harlow)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,011,520
- Gross worldwide
- $1,214,260
- Runtime1 hour 23 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1