Review of The Public Enemy (1931) by Brad S — 29 Jan 2011
Although fairly tame by today's standards, The Public Enemy remains one of the best gangster movies ever made. James Cagney, playing the character of gangster Tom Powers, gives his first, and in my opinion, finest performance. There are a fair amount of memorable scenes in this film, the most famous being the "grapefruit to the face" scene in which Cagney squishes half of a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face. The final moments of the movie continue to be disturbing and will undoubtedly stay in your mind forever. And for 80 years old, The Public Enemy still looks as beautiful and dark and is it did in 1931.
FACT: James Cagney was not originally supposed to play the lead role in this film. His co-star Edward Woods was first cast as Tom Powers, but director William A. Wellman saw Cagney's scene presence and gave the role to him instead.
Film aspects (out of 10):
Story:8.
Cinematography:8.
Sound:9.
Acting:10.
This review of The Public Enemy (1931) was written by Brad S on 29 Jan 2011.
The Public Enemy has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
