The Public Enemy | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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Where to Watch The Public Enemy Critics Reviews Audience Reviews My Rating Cast & Crew More Like This Related Movie News Photos The Public Enemy

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33 Reviews

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5,000+ Ratings

Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Eddie Woods), 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.

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The Public Enemy

Critics Reviews

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Edwin Schallert

Los Angeles Times

If there are to be gangster pictures, let them be like The Public Enemy, hard-boiled and vindictive almost to the point of burlesque.

Apr 19, 2019

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Jake Hamilton

Empire Magazine

Still a classic of the gangster genre, showing neither glorifying the life nor pulling its punches.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 30, 2007

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Variety Staff

Variety

There's no lace on this picture. It's raw and brutal. It's low-brow material given such workmanship as to make it high-brow.

Oct 30, 2007

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

In the first depression-era films of the mob rats blasting their way to big screen glory like Molotov cocktails, Cagney’s Tom Powers was the most magnificent of the new breed of machine gun-toting anti-hero.

Aug 19, 2023

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Cagney is so good here, in fact, that the picture would still be worth a look even if it were otherwise awful.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 11, 2020

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It's clear that in 1930's Hollywood, villainous activities must have strict repercussions, but the blaring disclaimer at the close only lessens the impact.

Rated: 7/10

Jul 30, 2020

Full Review

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Audience Reviews

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David F This is a classic Warner Bros. gangster film, with the grapefruit-to-the-face-shove casual cruelty of the pre-Code Hollywood days. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/05/24 Full Review Deke P CAGNEY! & Lots other big stars of the old times. JEAN HARLOW, Joan Blondell, etc. Follows little kids, from 1909, til in the Marines in WW ONE!, then their rise during Prohibition, as beer 'enforcers', to become gangsters, and killers. This is the one where Cagney shoves a Grapefruit into his girl's face.Saw much of it again 3.11.24 Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/11/24 Full Review Steve D It is really hard to care about any of the characters. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Jeff S Plot is a bit thin, but I look forward to watching more movies starring Cagney after seeing this one. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/24 Full Review Morvia 8thsin/ 3 The movie in acting is near to perfection depicting the rebellious persona. The movie overall in meaning as mentioned in the movie makes sense and makes it stand out for its overall purpose. In America where work is not mandatory as it is not in the law to work proves the problem of crime and criminal behavior in reflection while viewing this film. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/30/24 Full Review Georgan G The quintessential gangster film! This was the start of realistic morality tales for the American public. Cagney, Harlow & other terrific actors make it feel as real as it looks. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

William A. Wellman Director James Cagney Tom Powers Jean Harlow Gwen Allen Mae Clarke Kitty Edward Woods Matt Doyle Beryl Mercer Ma Powers

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The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy (1931)

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Synopsis Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Eddie Woods), 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.

Director: William A. Wellman
Producer: Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter: Kubec Glasmon, John Bright, Harvey F. Thew, David Mendoza
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 23, 1931, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 24, 2014
Runtime: 1h 24m
Sound Mix: Vitaphone