I'm back!! Oh and you may find some of your really really, really old reviews being rated by moi -...
I'm back!! Oh and you may find some of your really really, really old reviews being rated by moi - I have nearly 3000 old Ciao alerts that I've kept, fully intending to one day clear! I'm on it!
Member since:29.09.2002
Reviews:70
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‘‘The Public Enemy’ is not a man, nor is it a character – it is a problem that sooner or later we the public must solve.’ Foreword to Public Enemy (1931)
Public Enemy is about the rise to power of its central character Tommy Powers, who becomes involved in criminal activities while still a child, due mainly to Putty Nose, an odd character with an even odder name, who we continue meeting throughout the film.
Public Enemy not only tells the tale of the rise and fall of its protagonist, but also of a lasting friendship. Matt Doyle and Tommy Powers remain friends throughout the entire film, a characteristic common to the gangster genre. And, after all, Public Enemy is the film that determined the conventions of the genre. Made within the classic age of the gangster (1931-34), as well as within the Golden Age of the Hollywood Studio System, this was a time when the screen reflected the newspaper headlines. Gangsters were everywhere, they ruled the streets particularly though the prohibition period. The illegal supply of alcohol during prohibition and the associated violent activities of the criminal involved, provided the subject matter for the gangster films of the 1930s,
the classic era.
These films were also made during the depression (1929-1934), which deeply affected the lives of many Americans. The flamboyant lifestyle of the gangsters during this period of economic decline encouraged the public to view them as heroes – it was clear that crime DID pay. The gangsters could thus be seen as fulfilling the American dream, not by the traditional route of hard work, but through criminal activities.
James Cagney established the prototype of the gangster hero – ambitious, ruthless and doomed to die, not just as a moral lesson to the audience, but by the logic of his own career path. Though ethnicity is not made an issue through the film as in the Godfather or Goodfellas for example, Tommy Powers is unmistakably of Irish descent. Now forgive me if I appear to be taking a little detour, but I think I ought to explain the Hayes Code to those who don’t already know. So, if you do, feel free to jump ahead slightly ;-) The Hayes Code was introduced in 1934 as a means of censorship. The Hayes Code meant for huge changes to the gangster genre. Film makers were unable to glorify the gangster, and had to instead take a moral stance against him. The police were to have a more central, heroic role, leaving the gangster lifestyle appearing unappealing and punishing. In other words, allow the authorities to catch the criminal in a demeaning manner, rather than a rival gang seeking revenge. Public Enemy was made pre-Hayes Code, meaning that it carries undertones of sex and violence, although at a PG rating, I wouldn’t call anything particularly offensive. A moralistic, alternative lifestyle is offered in the (boring) form of Mike, Tommy’s (boring) serious (boring), older, Navy working, night school attending, annoying (boring) brother. Hmmm. Mike has to be the most unappealing character in the world. He would be today’s anorak wearing, still living with mother at 45, avid train-spotter type, who has a passion for anything serious and, well…. Um… boring!! The point that I am attempting to make is that the producers have failed pathetically in their attempt to bring Mike to the centre of our hearts, and instead we like Tommy. He has a certain charm about him, he’s loving towards his mother and family, he can’t stand Mike at times (always a good thing!!), and he brings an element of excitement and danger in a time when the key word really was the ‘depression’.
There is the suggestion that Matt and Tommy wouldn’t have gotten into crime without Putty Nose’s influence. I have to agree. He is actually slightly scary as he reminds me of a slightly better dressed Fagin from Oliver Twist, except he really is out for all he can get and doesn’t have a dog. But he does attempt singing so I suppose that’s a similarity. (Thanks to theediscerning for correct spelling!)! Paddy Ryan presents a slightly more realistic image of a gangster leader, giving the men an opportunity to make more money and become more powerful, the ultimate goal for gangster heroes.
The film made full use of a new sound system enabling audiences to experience gun-fire, explosions and fast paced dialogue, as well as surprising them with the use of off-screen sound, a highly unusual and revolutionary technique of the time. The film is obviously in black and white, which I think serves to remind the audience of the classic nature of this film, it set the mould for all the others to fall into. It may not be the best of the gangster films - the plot is fairly slow due to faster editing not quite being invented yet, and lets face it, when compared to more recent films such as Scarface or Goodfellas, it’s not half as exciting, but we have to remember this is a time before the audience was more accepting of blood and violence, and a time where special affects were expensive and limited.
With good acting and an amusing grapefruit - in - face moment, (don't ask, just see the film), I’d recommend this film to any fans of true classics, but I can’t say that I would have voluntarily watched it. Ever.
(a couple more to go!!)
K xxxx
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Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Action/Adventure - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Jack Ging, Marla Heasley, Lance Legault, Melinda Culea, Mr T, Dwight Schultz, Dirk Benedict, George Peppard, Carl Franklin
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