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The Public Enemy

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description The Public Enemy Overview

The Public Enemy is a 1931 Warner Bros. film directed by William A. Wellman, featuring James Cagney and Jean Harlow. It depicts a narrative concerning a young individual’s progression within the criminal organizations of Prohibition-era American cities.

The cast included Edward Woods, Donald Cook, and Joan Blondell.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

info The Public Enemy Specifications

Country	United States
Year	1931

help The Public Enemy FAQ

Why is the grapefruit scene in The Public Enemy so famous?

James Cagney's Tom Powers shoves a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's character's face in one of the film's most quoted scenes. The moment became a shorthand for the brutality and shock value of early 1930s pre-Code gangster films.

What role does James Cagney play in The Public Enemy?

Cagney plays Tom Powers, a young Chicago criminal who rises through bootlegging during Prohibition. The 1931 Warner Bros. film helped make Cagney one of the defining gangster stars of the era.

Is Jean Harlow a major character in The Public Enemy?

Jean Harlow appears as Gwen Allen, a glamorous woman connected to Tom Powers' adult criminal life. Her role is smaller than Cagney's, but her presence ties the film to the star system of early 1930s Hollywood.

How does The Public Enemy fit with Little Caesar and Scarface?

The Public Enemy, Little Caesar, and Scarface are often grouped as the key early sound-era gangster films. The Public Enemy was released by Warner Bros. in 1931, between Little Caesar in 1931 and Howard Hawks' Scarface in 1932.

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