The Public Enemy (1931)

The life of an American outlaw during Prohibition.

It's an almost perfect film and great fun. The characters' psychology is very subtly structured, much more so than in so many semi-caricatural (but interesting in their own way) films such as Scarface, White Heat, etc. For instance, the main character's fascination with the 'Gwen Allen' character is perhaps a symptom of a neurosis (he already has a girlfriend who is nicer and prettier than Gwen). His best friend Matt too, is perfectly characterized as the simple, naturally submissive guy. And so on. The film has some very weird aspects. One of them, the fact that the ugliest female character is showcased as a sex symbol, is, like I said earlier, perhaps accounted for by psychological issues of the main character, but his pal drools over her too, so I don't know. I think it is probably an example of how beauty standards of that time were different from today's. The other weird thing in the movie is that the police seems to be strangely inoperative. When Tom is in the hospital, for instance, there is no mention of him facing a murder charge. (The Public Enemy occupies the second position in Dale Thomajan's Top Ten Films of 1931.)

Rating: 83
(Third in my list of Best Movies of 1931.)