The Public Enemy

William Wellman's The Public Enemy was produced before censorship and is a graphic film of violence, sex, and bootlegging. Made in 1931, just after the end of the "Roaring Twenties", The Public Enemy has two main themes. The first theme is that crime does not pay, despite the lucrative ill-gotten spoils it provides to criminals. The second theme is that criminals are not born but develop due to environmental influences. The final message of the film that appears over the image of a phonograph is: "The END of Tom Powers is the end of every hoodlum. The Public Enemy is, not a man, nor is it a character - it is a problem that sooner or later WE, the public, must solve" (Wellman 1931). Therefore, The Public Enemy is a propaganda film that shows crime and criminals are the manifestation of a larger social problem.

Despite the eventual criminal actions and brutality exhibited by Tom Powers, Wellman provides background of his youth that suggests that criminals and crime arise from a poor environment. We see Tom as a mischievous boy in the city streets prior to Prohibition. It is clear that the factories, dirty streets, saloons, and street thugs who populate Tom's neighborhood lead to his involvement in crime. We first sees Tom's streak of sadism when he plays a trick on his friend's sister, Molly. Molly retaliates by telling Tom that he is the "meanest boy in town" and one day he will end up in jail (Wellman 1931).

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Category: Film - T