The Public Enemy on DVD (1931)

A customer from Worthing , 16/04/2006

This was fantastic. I love these old films and this one is a real classic. See it!

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Cato , 19/02/2007

James Cagney makes this film, and to think that his sidekick was considered for the main part before him. Cagney's creepy, lizard-like face was great for a screen actor who usually acted quite didtasteful parts, and in this film he shines. Unfortunately his fellow actors were quite poor, and in particular Jean Harlow seems very wooden, affecting an English accent. Cagney's mother is like a throwback to Victorian melodrama. Still, this was 1931, and they hadn't been talking on film for all that long. All the more credit to Jimmy then, who showed them the way. Some of the scenes must have seemed pretty risque as well, with a drunken seduction and a cadaver posted through the door at the end. A very good film, spoilt by some poor acting, apart from you know who.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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A customer from Preston , 10/01/2008

The Public Enemy - showcases James Cagney's powerful 1931 breakthrough performances as streetwise tough guy Tom Powers - but only because production chief Darryl F. Zanuck made a late casting change. When shooting began, Cagney had a second role but Zanuck soon spotted Cagney's Screen dominance and gave him the star part. From that moment, an indelible genre classic and an enduring star career was born. Bristling with the '20s style, dialog's and desperation under the masterful directorial eye of William A. Wellman, this is a virtual time capsule of the prohibition era: taunt, gritty, hard-hitting.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Robert Dawson from Cardiff,Wales. [Highly rated reviewer] , 25/02/2008

Although one or two of the scenes seem a little creaky(and let's face facts, the Godfather (1 & 2) it ain't) this is nevertheless a cracking piece of cinema, with a great ending

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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A customer from Worthing , 16/04/2006

This was fantastic. I love these old films and this one is a real classic. See it!

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Cato , 19/02/2007

James Cagney makes this film, and to think that his sidekick was considered for the main part before him. Cagney's creepy, lizard-like face was great for a screen actor who usually acted quite didtasteful parts, and in this film he shines. Unfortunately his fellow actors were quite poor, and in particular Jean Harlow seems very wooden, affecting an English accent. Cagney's mother is like a throwback to Victorian melodrama. Still, this was 1931, and they hadn't been talking on film for all that long. All the more credit to Jimmy then, who showed them the way. Some of the scenes must have seemed pretty risque as well, with a drunken seduction and a cadaver posted through the door at the end. A very good film, spoilt by some poor acting, apart from you know who.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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