Review of Little Caesar (1931) by Christopher S — 06 Jan 2012

In addition to being the first great "talkie" gangster movie, this Warner Bros. Pre-Code crime film was also the one that made Edward G. Robinson a star with a classic story-line detailing the rise and fall of a Capone like mobster in Chicago.

There are some who do find this film somewhat dated, and I would have to slightly disagree with them. The movie itself is not dated and the classic story-line is certainly not dated because it has been copied many times over the years.

However the one element that I do think is somewhat dated in this movie is probably the story-telling technique.....I find it to be somewhat stiff & abrupt in its presentation. This fact coupled with the general under-whelming performances of the supporting cast prevented me from ranking this film higher than a 4-stars or 8/10.

.....However, despite the uninspired performances of the supporting cast in "Little Caesar", the same cannot be said about Robinson's powerful portrayal of Rico Bandello. You can clearly see why this movie made him a star.

The man is a force of nature who lit up the screen whenever he's on it....HE IS LITTLE CAESAR!!!!....Overall, a classic gangster film with an iconic performance by Edward G. Robinson.......Rating: 8/10.

..... 8).