Tom Powers (James Cagney) earns a living from bootlegging during Prohibition. But he finds out that bootlegging is a competitive and violent industry.
The Public Enemy is known for two things: kickstarting the gangster movie and Cagney giving Mae Clarke a grapefruit facial (the most ingenious ad-lib in my book). Cagney is just explosive as Powers (though I heard from another source he's better in White Heat). The Public Enemy, in my opinion, is the best introduction to Cagney and the gangster movie in general.
My Rating: *****
I totally agree, this is the perfect entry point for getting into James Cagney and old gangster movies. Cagney was a great, able to transition from gangster films to musicals to comedies flawlessly. One of my favorites is the under appreciated Billy Wilder comedy, One Two Three.
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