Why is this film not a classic? - The Public Enemy (1931) Discussion

[–] selsierom 21 years ago

I thought it was.

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[–] Tyler_Bateman 21 years ago

Yeah, but it isn't in the top 250, and it sure as hell isnt as known as say, Metropolis or To Kill A Mockingbird, which are both incredibly inferior.

Why did the bird fall out of the tree?

It was dead.

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[–] 21 years ago

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[–] ProjectMayhem14 21 years ago

Brilliant film, man.

Quentin Tarantino is a God!

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[–] csu16387 21 years ago

The terrible thing is that none of Cagney's films are in the top 250, which is so shocking to me. The Public Enemy is definitely a classic and one of the quintessential gangster films.

"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today."

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[–] Tyler_Bateman 21 years ago

Cagney is a very brilliant man, and I think the top 250 should be extended to 300, and have a different way of ranking the films.

Why did the bird fall out of the tree?

It was dead.

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[–] telegonus 20 years ago

Who cares about the top 250? The Public Enemy is a classic, and everyone who's seen it will surely agree. I agree that's it's better than To Kill a Mockingbird, which I don't rate that highly, but TKAM is in more respects than not a warm and fuzzy feel good film, especially in the scenes with the children, and especially with the children and their father. I think it's fair to say that The Public Enemy, for all its brilliance, is definitely not a feel good film. It is most certainly a classic, if not maybe as beloved as other, more upbeat movies that so many people go ga-ga over.

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[–] Kensith 20 years ago

It absolutely is a classic and a all-time favorite of mine James Cagney in only him 4th film is outstanding as the ruthless small time hood striving to become a crimelord with tragic consequences great support comes from Edward Woods as his buddy/partner and Beryl Mercer as his long suffering mother trying to keep the piece between her two warring sons

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[–] bgt5800 19 years ago

This movie versus to Kill a Mockingbird? LOL...intersting. Ummm I liked the movie okay but the absurd and frankly stupid ending keeps this movie form achieveing the status of classic. Although it is an important movie with a lot of historical precedents. Namely Cagney, whose true talents seem well absent from this film. To Kill a Mockingbird versus The Public Enemy...lol

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[–] Theoden_of_ODU 19 years ago

"absurd and frankly stupid ending"? What movie are you watching? Explain what you mean by this.

"You've shown your quality sir. The very highest."

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[–] teaspoonof21grms 19 years ago

i just watched this movie in my film class...i dont see why its so great...and dont say its because i cant see the goodness in old films because i really liked the general which is a silent film from 1927...i just thought this film felt a little off...i mean, the pacing was odd, and it was just plain bad...sorry, not bad, but not great either...i could barely understand what the hell they were saying, and found myself on more than one occassion dozing off

Give me a piece of Reese

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[–] thefiend99 19 years ago

Oh my God---I think I'm having palpitations. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. You thought this film was plain bad. OK--you're entitled to your opinion and I won't start a flame war or anything. But I will say this much--your dozing off must have kept you from noticing Cagney. He makes this film a classic--with all his energy and hostility. I am a HUGE fan of his, so perhaps I'm a little biased (a crush will do that to you), but there's no denying that it's Cagney who carries the bulk of this film. I LOVE the grapefruit scene (that was ad-libbed by Cagney--with Clark's approval, of course) and the constant warring between Tom and Mike makes great fireworks.

The only part of the movie I didn't like was Jean Harlow. Any scene with her in it. Fortunately she didn't have a big part. In the scene where she tells Tom that she could love him to death--she sounds so rehearsed it's horrible.

WOW--I'm still flabbergasted.

By the way, where are you from? I had no problem understanding Cagney--but then again, I live only 2 hours from New York and talk that fast myself.

"Listen to them, children of the night. What music they make!" -- Dracula (1931)

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[–] richieanimal-1 19 years ago

it was a terrific movie watch it again and see how cagney refers to his friend through out the movie very funny.

After they drive harlow in the car and she leaves he does this little turn dance move to check out her body.

After nails death they buy the horse so they can kikll him for revenge that was a good scene.

Finally the Cagney death scene absolutelu great. Cagney was great and still one of the greatest ganster films of all time.

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[–] rjcross_503 19 years ago

An absolute sure fire classic with so many great scenes. Tom whispering to Mae Clark when they meet, it's so obvious whats on his mind and a nice pre-code way of getting round the censors.
Tom's taunting of the effeminate tailor is also a great scene, with some very funny dialogue.
Tailor; (measuring Cagney's forearm) "Ooh what a muscle."
Powers "Make it snappy or you'll find out what it's for.

Cagney is so good in this film though that he leaves everyone in his wake, and the final death scene is probably the most chilling in any gangster movie until Bonnie & Clyde 36 years later.

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[–] terrythomas 19 years ago

LOL, I thought this WAS considered a classic. (Don't give much thought to the IMDB "greatest movies" list.)

Personally, I've always been bothered by the creaky performances by the majority of the cast (aside from Cagney, of course; "modern screen acting is born", as they say on the DVD). It's taken me three or four viewings to finally start to see the film's other qualities.

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[–] Fanucci06 18 years ago

cagney is pure class, he should have been born in our generation.

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[–] twm-2 18 years ago

I think it IS generally considered a classic, though for me, I'm not sure its desiring of that label. Certainly, it's significant from a historical perspective as:

1) One of the first of a spate of gangster films,

2) The first film that gives Cagney top billing,

3) A significant milestone for director Wellman,

4) ditto for Jean Harlow,

but excepting Cagney's performance and some nice collaboration between Wellman and cinematographer Jennings, the film strikes me as being hokie. Some of the dialogue ranges from insipid to corny, and, with the exception of Cagney, the acting ranges between barely competent to sorry. And Wellman's direction is inconsistent, at turns electric and imaginative, while at others pedestrian or even Ed Woodian clueless (that is, à la Ed Wood the director of Plan 9 from Outer Space).

Just as one example of a 'perfect storm' of poor writing, poor direction, and poor acting--think of the last scene with Cagney and Harlow. Some of the words these actors were forced to mouth were patently ridiculous ("My bashful baby boy"--?!?), but the readings of these inanities were horrible. Harlow hadn't come into her own yet as an actress, but surely, considering where she would be in just one year (she was marvelous in Red Dust), surely Wellman could have given her some more help here.

And lest anyone think I'm just prejudiced against older films, if anything, I'm prejudiced against modern films as no film after 1964 resides in my top 25, and I've given ten films from 1931 thru 1935 a rating of "10."

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] rjcross_503 18 years ago

Much of what you say is very true. There is a real positive in recent years though and that's the availability of certain classics on VHS/DVD.

The biggest boon for classic film though is the internet, just the fact that people can discuss their favourite films gives these movies a profile that they might otherwise lack. Whether Public Enemy is top 250 or not really isn't that important, the fact that people are still discussing it after 75 years is.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] mlraymond 18 years ago

Lots of good insights on these posts. The fact that so many modern films are listed on the best films list, simply because they're more familiar to today's average viewer, for example. I say this a lot, so I'll say it again here: The number of younger people I run into, younger being anywhere from about 17 to 30, who declare " I won't watch anything that's in black and white", no doubt has something to do with those rankings.

I love old gangster movies, but it's taken me a while to fully appreciate Public Enemy. The dialogue is a little stiff at times, and some of the performances don't quite work. But Cagney is brilliant. He is so convincing as Tom Powers, that you forget he's acting and really believe the character.

I've never liked this movie as much as some of the other old gangster classics, and I think I finally realize why. There are very few sympathetic characters in it, and it's harshly realistic in showing us mobsters as cold, greedy and sociopathic men. Tom Powers is so filled with energy and drive, that he literally dances in one scene, capering on the sidewalk to celebrate having met Gwen. But he is so cold blooded and nasty that he's not a gangster "hero" the audience can root for, in the usual way. You have to admire the sheer, raw courage he displays in walking alone into the rival mob's headquarters to kill as many of them as possible, realizing his chances of coming out of the encounter alive and well are close to zero. And his one real redeeming feature is his love for his mother. He also shows more real caring and love for his pal Matt than any of the women he gets involved with.

It's sort of a back handed compliment, but this is probably one of the few gangster movies that doesn't glamorize its hoodlum characters, but shows them as the thugs and killers they really are, and as a result, the film is a real document of its time, but not as much fun as softer edged gangster stories.

And when he crossed the bridge, the phantoms came to meet him

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[–] rjcross_503 18 years ago

Some very good points. It's the realism in The Public Enemy that really appeals to me, and it's the main reason why it's my favourite Cagney Gangster movie. I'm of the opinion that the reason late 30's gangster movies don't have the same gritty realistic feel is because of the enforcement of the Hays code. The audience can believe that Tom Powers is a gangster, but with someone like say Eddie Bartlett(Roaring 20's) the credibility is rather stretched. Tom Powers is what he is, a cold sadist taking delight in inflicting pain.

Public Enemy also benefits from having been written by two ex-Chicago newshounds. Considering the terrible gangs wars in the 1920's Capone, O'bannion, Weiss, Moran, Genna brothers etc, Glasmon and Bright managed to bring a level of reality to the script that gives the film an extra dimension.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Xcalat3 17 years ago

it is!

I Worship The Goddess Amber Tamblyn

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