Enough to satisfy your craving for the 1930s

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2012)

This is a great period piece/crime movie. It brings a contemporary movie feel to the dusty old 1930s. The tommy gun action is just as exciting as anything in a modern-day shoot-'em-up.
It's a chapter from the pages of history, when J. Edgar Hoover's FBI made an effort to wipe out America's most dangerous criminals. The parallel stories of bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and G-Man Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) show promise, but aren't entirely fleshed out. Dillinger sees himself as a romantic anti-hero and enjoys the celebrity that comes with being a notorious outlaw. But the walls are closing in, thanks to no-nonsense Purvis, Hoover's ace bloodhound.
Depp's Dillinger is a sympathetic character and Hoover's G-Men (the "good guys") are often painted as ruthless thugs. Bale's Purvis is a bit of an exception. But the feds seem to be out to spoil poor Dillinger's fun and the final confrontation seems totally unfair. That's not to say that Dillinger and his cohorts weren't dangerous troublemakers.
Set in 1934, there's some interesting historical background stuff that the movie touches upon. These were the days before the Bureau Of Investigation was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation. J. Edgar Hoover was shaping the department into an elite crime-fighting organization with a new scientific approach. The film shows that Hoover still had to prove himself, and there's some tension between administrator Hoover and field man Purvis. (Purvis seems to be the one who organizes Hoover's inexperienced and initially inept agents.) The 1935 film G-MEN (starring James Cagney) supposedly did a lot to boost the FBI's standing in the public eye.
There's also a little glimpse of Frank Nitti's post-Capone Chicago syndicate. (Nitti also featured in 2002's ROAD TO PERDITION.) There are other nice period touches, like the jazz songs, Will Rogers on the radio, the early Looney Tunes cartoon, and the vintage Yankees-Cubs broadcast (although several details seem to be technically anachronistic). And, for historical reasons, the 1934 MGM film MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (with Clark Gable, William Powell, and Myrna Loy) features prominently in a key scene.
I love classic movies from the 1930s, but I know many people stick to more modern fare. I think it's great to see the 1930s period brought to life for today's audience. It's cool to see these cops & robbers tales play out in a way that won't be dismissed as "dated" or "boring". PUBLIC ENEMIES should appeal to fans both of James Cagney flicks and of modern crime/action movies.