The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy

83 mins | Drama, Crime | April 23, 1931

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.

The Public Enemy

83 mins | Drama, Crime | April 23, 1931

The Public Enemy
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.
IMDb rating 7.6
Producers Warner Bros. Pictures, The Vitaphone Corporation
Original title The Public Enemy
Directors William A. Wellman
Writers Harvey F. Thew, John Bright, Kubec Glasmon

Cast

James Cagney

as Tom Powers

Jean Harlow

as Gwen Allen

Edward Woods

as Matt Doyle

Joan Blondell

as Mamie

Donald Cook

as Mike Powers

Leslie Fenton

as Samuel 'Nails' Nathan

Beryl Mercer

as Ma Powers

Robert Emmett O'Connor

as Paddy Ryan

Murray Kinnell

as Putty Nose

Clark Burroughs

as Dutch (uncredited)

Mae Clarke

as Kitty (uncredited)

Frank Coghlan Jr.

as Tom as a Boy (uncredited)

George Daly

as Machine Gunner (uncredited)

Frankie Darro

as Matt as a Boy (uncredited)

Snitz Edwards

as Miller (uncredited)

Rita Flynn

as Molly Doyle (uncredited)

Dorothy Gee

as Nails' Girl (uncredited)

Douglas Gerrard

as Assistant Tailor (uncredited)

Dorothy Gray

as Little Girl (uncredited)

Ben Hendricks Jr.

as 'Bugs' Moran as a Boy (uncredited)

Robert Homans

as Officer Pat Burke (uncredited)

Eddie Kane

as Joe - Headwaiter (uncredited)

Mia Marvin

as Jane (uncredited)

Sam McDaniel

as Headwaiter (uncredited)

Helen Parrish

as Little Girl (uncredited)

Lee Phelps

as Steve - Bartender (uncredited)

Russ Powell

as Bartender (uncredited)

Purnell Pratt

as Officer Powers (uncredited)

Nanci Price

as Little Girl (uncredited)

Joe Sawyer

as Pool Player (uncredited)

Landers Stevens

as Doctor (uncredited)

William H. Strauss

as Pawnbroker (uncredited)

Charles Sullivan

as Mug (uncredited)

Lucille Ward

as Mrs. Dalton (uncredited)

Adele Watson

as Mrs. Doyle (uncredited)