The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy (1931)

All his life he took what he wanted...Why not women?

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.

Date of release
1931-04-23
TMDB
7.3 / 10 (405)
Runtime
1h 24m
Genres
Crime, Drama
Director
William A. Wellman

Casting

  • James Cagney — Tom Powers
  • Jean Harlow — Gwen Allen
  • Edward Woods — Matt Doyle
  • Joan Blondell — Mamie
  • Donald Cook — Mike Powers
  • Leslie Fenton — Samuel 'Nails' Nathan
  • Beryl Mercer — Ma Powers
  • Robert Emmett O'Connor — Paddy Ryan
  • Murray Kinnell — Putty Nose
  • Clark Burroughs — Dutch (uncredited)
  • Mae Clarke — Kitty (uncredited)
  • Frank Coghlan Jr. — Tom as a Boy (uncredited)

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