The Public Enemy

1931 84 min Crime, Drama

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 7.6 RT 100 Metacritic 80

budget $151,000 earnings $557,000 return 3.7x

director William A. Wellman

writers Kubec Glasmon, John Bright

cast