"STRAIGHT FROM TODAYS HEADLINES - AS CONTROVERSIAL AND SHOCKING AS... ER.. UH.. HMMM .... TODAYS #$#$%@#@# HEADLINES... MAN !!!"
All is NOT WELL in the bloody streets of Chicago. The city of thrills, chills, dames, booze, filth, easy money and....speakeasies is about to get a dose of REAL JUSTICE.... !!!!
I like this review -- if you want to real history -- you should read this....
I like this review -- if you want to real history -- you should read this....
If you want the condensed version, ( and I know you do, you sinner....) then read on here....
The Public Enemywas released by Warner Brothers and as far as BIG TIME GANGSTER pictures go -- this one is my personal favorite. I own this on DVD. I can watch it over and over again. I like the characters and the story is totally amazing.... and based somewhat on fact.
This was a time of beer and blood in the streets. In fact, the screenplay was called, "Beer and Blood" and gave details to the bloody beer wars in Chicago in the 1920's. It was a composite screenplay over the wild dealings of real life mob legend, Paddy Ryan. These guys were the precursors to Capone. They killed and blew eachother up to no end and even assasinated a race horse..... just like in the film.
The Public Enemywas released by Warner Brothers and as far as BIG TIME GANGSTER pictures go -- this one is my personal favorite. I own this on DVD. I can watch it over and over again. I like the characters and the story is totally amazing.... and based somewhat on fact.
This was a time of beer and blood in the streets. In fact, the screenplay was called, "Beer and Blood" and gave details to the bloody beer wars in Chicago in the 1920's. It was a composite screenplay over the wild dealings of real life mob legend, Paddy Ryan. These guys were the precursors to Capone. They killed and blew eachother up to no end and even assasinated a race horse..... just like in the film.
That somewhat stunned me.
Killing a horse? For Mob reasons? Yes, it really happened. Apparently the horse threw its rider off and kicked him in the ribs or the head killing him somewhat instantly. The kickee was named Nails Morton. Apparently when the rest of the mob heard that Nails was crushed by a friggen horse they went ballistically MAD. This weird death happened somewhere near Lincoln Park. I used to live in Lincoln Park.... I was just there two weeks ago. I walked through it. And being the historian that I am I found myself wondering what friggen street this happened on.
The race horse was murdered in Arlington Race Track from what I've read. Weird.
But the weird thing is what happend to Cagneys character in the film. He was kidnapped from the hospital and then ... shot? Tortured? Who knows. The end of the film shows Cagney wrapped up like a mummy and being dumped off to his mother who answers the door and he falls on his face dead. From what the tipsters claim this really happened too.
The guy who tipped Warner Brothers of this really weird but true tale was paid handsomely. They claimed it was a true story. The studio paid about two grand for the story from what I have read and everything... right down to the grapefruit scene was based on real events, (only it was an omlette in real life). The guy who sold the story feared the mob and for spilling his guts.
Killing a horse? For Mob reasons? Yes, it really happened. Apparently the horse threw its rider off and kicked him in the ribs or the head killing him somewhat instantly. The kickee was named Nails Morton. Apparently when the rest of the mob heard that Nails was crushed by a friggen horse they went ballistically MAD. This weird death happened somewhere near Lincoln Park. I used to live in Lincoln Park.... I was just there two weeks ago. I walked through it. And being the historian that I am I found myself wondering what friggen street this happened on.
The race horse was murdered in Arlington Race Track from what I've read. Weird.
But the weird thing is what happend to Cagneys character in the film. He was kidnapped from the hospital and then ... shot? Tortured? Who knows. The end of the film shows Cagney wrapped up like a mummy and being dumped off to his mother who answers the door and he falls on his face dead. From what the tipsters claim this really happened too.
The guy who tipped Warner Brothers of this really weird but true tale was paid handsomely. They claimed it was a true story. The studio paid about two grand for the story from what I have read and everything... right down to the grapefruit scene was based on real events, (only it was an omlette in real life). The guy who sold the story feared the mob and for spilling his guts.
I am glad he did. THIS WAS RIPPED STRAIGHT FROM THE HEADLINES BABY.
This movie is typical of the kinds of movies you could buy at Kmart in the 1970's. Back before cable we used to haul out the 8mm movies on Saturday Night and MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT. tHIS WAS premium entertainment. I haven't seen one of these with the word titles in years. Because of the time frame this plot was seriously butchered to fit a 8 minute time limit.
Warner Brothers claimed they never meant to glorify the gangster by making this picture. WELL THEY FAILED in my opinion. CAUSE I ENDED UP ENJOYING THIS MOVIE TO NO END.... What a classic. IT makes me want to pump iron and drive a Model T. I want to become a big bad ass bootlegger and create a monopoly.
Its the ulimate guy movie.
Cantu 2007
Warner Brothers claimed they never meant to glorify the gangster by making this picture. WELL THEY FAILED in my opinion. CAUSE I ENDED UP ENJOYING THIS MOVIE TO NO END.... What a classic. IT makes me want to pump iron and drive a Model T. I want to become a big bad ass bootlegger and create a monopoly.
Its the ulimate guy movie.
Cantu 2007
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