alexanderdavies-99382 "Little Caesar" marked the beginning of a new chapter for "Warner Bros." Released in 1931 but filmed in 1930, the film made a big star of theatre actor Edward G. Robinson and launched the studio onto a run of gangster films that dominated the decade. In addition, many a classic film from "Warner Bros." would be made from the early 30s until the late 40s and featuring some of the biggest stars and actors in Hollywood history. Edward G. Robinson plays a hoodlum who has plans to work his way up the ladder in organised crime and to become a crime lord. He succeeds in achieving just that but at a considerable price..... "Little Caesar" has many great scenes and some good dialogue and Robinson gets the best lines. His is the best performance in this film, he oozes menace in every scene. I was hoping that the film would have included more action and to carry more of a gritty edge in the screenplay. Also, the film is looking its age but in all fairness, films of this decade tend to. The film does a fine job of showing Little Caesar's eventual decline after his main weakness gets the better of him: Caesar's vanity. The final scene had to be slightly re-written after some influential religious groups voiced their displeasure of the Lord's name being taken in vain.

chenxiaomao From a personal point of view I like gangster movies very much. But there are two things that really appeal to me. 1.1931 years of gangster films actually involve gay. 2.The gangster is still independent fight with environment of American individualism hero.it is sound film at the beginning of the film now looks more rough, based mainly on the film dialogue, gun shots, but still wonderful.Earlier gangster film. In a minimal way recorded a gangster developed to destroy the life is short, after all the gangster film, the main basic not from the film in a simple story. After watching this movie has a lens always stay in my mind, Little Caesar from his pocket and took out his comb hair. Reflects the characters in the film is very lively.

Jackson Booth-Millard I had seen many clips of this film, and I knew it was a classic gangster movie, it was great to know that it was the first ever to have spoken dialogue, and I was definitely going to see it because it was in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, from director Mervyn LeRoy (Mister Roberts). Basically Caesar Enrico 'Rico' Bandello (Edward G. Robinson) and his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) are small-time criminals who are seeking their fortunes in Chicago, and while Rico, also nicknamed Little Caesar, joins Sam Vettori (Stanley Fields) and his gang Joe is more interested in becoming a professional dancer, and he gains a partner and girlfriend with Olga Stassoff (Glenda Farrell). Joe tries to get away from the gangster lifestyle and any involvement in their schemes, but he is made to participate in the robbery of the nightclub he works in, along with Rico who was given orders from underworld overlord 'Big Boy' (Sidney Blackmer) not to open fire and create bloodshed, but he kills Crime Commissioner Alvin McClure (Landers Stevens), his shocked friend witnessed it. Gang leader Sam is accused by Rico of being soft, and he is allowed to take control over the crime ring, and with this happening an assassination attempt on him is organised by rival boss 'Little Arnie' Storch (Maurice Black), but it fails and he is only grazed, so they visit him and his gunmen, after the men quickly leave for Detroit, and Rico gains control of Chicago's Northside as well. With Joe gaining a good reputation as a dancer and hardly seeing his former friend, and he is visited by the now gang lord who is concerned he knows a lot, he is told to forget about Olga and return to the life of crime, and he is threatened if he does not accept, he refuses anyway, and following this Olga calls Police Sergeant Flaherty (Thomas E. Jackson) so he can talk. Rico and his henchman Otero (George E. Stone) shortly after the call come round, Rico aims his gun to kill Joe before he can spill about the crime activities, but he cannot bring himself to pull the trigger, and when Otero tries to kill him Rico wrestles to take his gun, and in the scuffle Joe is wounded with a gunshot, this is heard by Flaherty who chases and kill Otero running out. Joe provides the information to the police and Flaherty is determined to bring down Little Caesar and his empire, and knowing that he is a wanted man Rico disappears to a life on the streets, and sometime later he sees the news that he is branded a coward, enraged he foolishly calls the cops to announce he is coming back, and the call is traced, Rico tries to escape but is gunned down and killed behind a billboard by Flaherty, and ironically it has an advertisement poster featuring Olga and Joe. Also starring William Collier Jr. as Tony Passa, Ralph Ince as Diamond Pete Montana and Armand Kaliz as De Voss. Robinson gives a fantastic leading performance, he may not look like the typical kind of character that will climb in the crime world to become the kingpin, but he proves a sly and ruthless criminal and steals every scene, the other cast members such as Fairbanks Jr. and Farrell are good as well. The story is pretty easy to follow, a lowlife crook slowly becomes the most wanted man in the city, based on the real life mobster Al Capone, there is a great script with witty dialogue, and many memorable moments with guns shooting and criminal schemes, and of course the final catchphrase, this is absolutely a must see classic crime drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Adaptation. Caesar Enrico Bandello was number 38 on 100 Years, 100 Heroes & Villains, and "Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?" was number 73 on 100 Years, 100 Quotes. Very good!

Cosmoeticadotcom Little Caesar is a good example of a film that is historically important but which has dated very poorly. The camera work, by cinematographer Tony Gaudio, is mediocre, the spare soundtrack, by Erno Rapee, is garbled, and the acting very wooden. Even Edward G. Robinson, who became a star in this role, is merely OK. What makes this all the more amazing is that, just a few months later, in 1931, Jimmy Cagney would burst on to the screen with The Public Enemy, a film that holds up cinematically- technically and aesthetically- far better. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, and written by Francis Edward Faragoh and Robert N. Lee, adapted from a novel by W.R. Burnett, the 78 minute, black and white film, limps along, despite being nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award. So unsure of its narrative power is the film that, like its silent era cousins, it makes extensive use of intertitle cards to convey plot points quickly, and also obscure the narrative fact of its indeterminate chronology.That's because there is a general awkwardness to this film that many early talky pictures had, and the acting style is unconvincing. There are scenes which simply make little sense, diegetically or not, and clank along in stereotypes. Aside form The Public Enemy, and the Paul Muni vehicle, Scarface: The Shame Of A Nation, one might also compare it to German Director Fritz Lang's film M, released the same year, which made a star of Peter Lorre, another rather un-movie star-like movie star. In that film, Lorre plays a pedophile child killer done in by a trial brought by local gangsters, enraged that his killings have brought the wrath of the cops down upon them. That film, like The Public Enemy, is far more realistic in its depictions of crime, criminals, and their motivations.