Gangster films are timeless and the genre has gripped audiences for decades, but one film is said to have paved the way.
In this hit film, from 1931, an Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime.
The Public Enemy is a historic film, and one of the first of its kind. It has become a classic and it propelled its lead, James Cagney, to stardom.
One reviewer on IMDb said the film is “83 minutes of cinematic bliss”.
Another person said the film was “the prototype for gangster films to follow”.
Directed by William A. Wellman, The Public Enemy is a crucial film for the gangster genre.
After its success, it paved the way for a wave of similar films that explored the criminal underworld and its characters.
On IMDb, one person who watched the film said: “The Godfather trilogy and Goodfellas owe a lot to this gangster film that preceded them both by at least fifty years.
“The Public Enemy was perhaps one of the first mob films that followed the rise and fall of a gangster and showed not only the implication of his actions on himself but on his family as well.”
On Rotten Tomatoes, one reviewer penned: “1931’s The Public Enemy is still at this stage one of the best gangster films ever made.”
The genre has gone on to captivate audiences with its fascinating insight into the underworld.
The movie takes place during the Prohibition era, a time when the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol were illegal in the United States.
A rise in organised crime was seen at the time as gangs wanted to capitalize on the black market for alcohol.
If you’re looking for a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this could be it.