The Public Enemy
“All his life he took what he wanted...Why not women?”
Synopsis
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Public Enemy - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-09-23
Top Cast
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James Cagney
Tom Powers
Jean Harlow
Gwen Allen
Edward Woods
Matt Doyle
Joan Blondell
Mamie
Donald Cook
Mike Powers
Leslie Fenton
Samuel 'Nails' Nathan
Beryl Mercer
Ma Powers
Robert Emmett O'Connor
Paddy Ryan
Murray Kinnell
Putty Nose
Clark Burroughs
Dutch (uncredited)
Mae Clarke
Kitty (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.
Tom as a Boy (uncredited)
George Daly
Machine Gunner (uncredited)
Frankie Darro
Matt as a Boy (uncredited)
Snitz Edwards
Miller (uncredited)
Rita Flynn
Molly Doyle (uncredited)
Dorothy Gee
Nails' Girl (uncredited)
Douglas Gerrard
Assistant Tailor (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
April 23, 1931
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$151K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$557K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.69x
+$406K net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- William A. Wellman
- Screenplay & Story
- John Bright, Kubec Glasmon, Harvey F. Thew
- Original Title
- The Public Enemy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Production Budget
- $151K
- Worldwide Gross
- $557K
- Production Studios
- The Vitaphone Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
William A. Wellman
John Bright, Kubec Glasmon, Harvey F. Thew
Devereaux Jennings
Edward M. McDermott
Darryl F. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
John Bright
Writer
William A. Wellman
Director
Edward M. McDermott
Editor
Kubec Glasmon
Writer
Devereaux Jennings
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Public Enemy.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Public Enemy.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-20 07:41:36 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Public Enemy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Public Enemy about?
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
Who directed The Public Enemy?
The Public Enemy was directed by William A. Wellman.
Who stars in The Public Enemy?
The principal cast of The Public Enemy includes James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, Donald Cook.
When was The Public Enemy released and how long is it?
The Public Enemy was released in 1931 with a total runtime of 1h 24m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Public Enemy?
The Public Enemy had a reported production budget of $151K and grossed $557K at the worldwide box office (3.69 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Public Enemy?
The Public Enemy holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).