The Public Enemy is a 1931 American pre-Code gangster film directed by William A. Wellman and starring James Cagney, Jean Harlow, and Edward Woods. The film follows the rise of two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Edward Woods), who become petty thieves, bootleggers, and killers during the Prohibition era in the United States.
Tom and Matt start out as teenagers stealing and vandalizing in their impoverished slum neighborhood. As they grow older, they join a gang and begin working for a local bootlegger. They quickly rise up the ranks, becoming involved in robberies, gambling, and other illegal activities. Tom, in particular, is ruthless and quick-tempered, with a mean streak that is fueled by alcohol and drugs.
As their criminal empire grows, Tom and Matt attract the attention of the police and rival gangsters. Tom's younger brother Mike (Donald Cook) pleads with him to give up his life of crime and turn his back on the gang, but Tom dismisses him and becomes increasingly violent and paranoid. He begins to view his friends and associates as potential threats, leading him to turn on Matt and take over the gang himself.
Despite briefly reconciling with his family, Tom ultimately becomes paranoid and isolated, leading to his downfall. In the film's iconic finale, Tom tries to make a run for it after being ambushed by rival gangsters, but is gunned down in a hail of bullets.
The Public Enemy is widely regarded as a classic of the gangster genre, with James Cagney's electrifying performance as Tom Powers helping to define the archetype of the ruthless, charismatic gangster. The film's depiction of violence, sexual deviance, and criminality was controversial at the time of its release, but it remains a powerful and influential work of American cinema.
