Review of Little Caesar (1931) by Veronique K — 28 Nov 2007

Another classic gangster flick blueprinted on legendary mob-killer al capone....it contributes to edward g. robinson's promptly made stardom, also a stepping stone for douglas fairbanks jr. to further his sprouting career, fairbanks' role as the best pal of rico's (little caesar played robinson) is hearsay the tale of george raft's catapult from mob thug toward broadway dancer then hollywood star. both the roles of little caesar and best pal were considered with clark gable, but rebuked by jack warner becuz of gable's strung-out ears.

The story is basically archetyped: caesar enrico bandello seeks fame and wealth by exerting himself to the top scale of rough masculinity, plundering of what he wants incorrigibly. something differentiates little caesar is his eagerness of news paper publicity, and he sets up his goal to be praised gloriously in news paper in the first scene at cafe....and also another peculiar trait is the abscence of mistress...usually in gangster flicks, a gangster makes his success, he would pursue after a dame to satiate his lust with his mighty power then consummate his egoism of manhood with a flashy harpie-alike female. but little caesar is not enthusiastic to seek a female companion, he's more avid to solicit his best pal joe back to celebrate his success instead, even tempts his pal with the enormous profits of his business. converted joe chooses to be reformed by his love interest, therefore it breaks caesar's heart..and our ruthless caesar cannot even trigger a shot to dispose of joe to eliminate the danger of exposure. some critics doubt seriously if little caesar is a closet homosexual or not, and he seems not interested in women that is an amusing notion. is the existence of woman only the assureness of man's heterosexuality??

As for the legendary finishing line "mother of mercy, is that the end of rico?"....the scriptor wonders if he should choose "mother of god" or "mother of mercy"....and the chewing cigar poise is innovated by robinson's own idiosyncracy...and there's another more cynical ending written in script which is rico hears news paper condemns him as yellowed coward, he rushes to the police station in an outrage but no one recognizes him as little caesar, then he departs and be a nameless bum for good.

"little caesar" in general is not an elaborately made flick, considering its time, 1930, it was just the attempted trial of popularized sound flick...and the only thing evolves "little caesar" into everlasting classic is robinson's chrismatic screen persona.