Little Caesar (1931)

In a period where the United States was experiencing its largest economic downturn and the public had little when it can to joys and distractions from the negativity of life's hardships (not even alcohol as it was still prohibition) it would easy for the public to be enthralled by and embrace the anti-hero. This was a way for culture as a entity to somehow fantasize about raising up and fighting against the establishment. This feeling would produce the spark that led to the boom in the gangster/crime drama genre in American film. With the likes of notorious gangsters like Al Capone grabbing the headlines it would only be fitting that audiences would enjoy the same kind of suspense and drama in their movies as they would read about in their newspapers. Unlike the glitz and glamor that usually came out of the woodwork of Hollywood, which was far from the world of most Americans who were knees deep in the Great Depression at that time. This genre would be more hard nosed and dirty putting it closer to the hardships of public.

Little Caesar is a morality play based off the novel published in 1929. It tells the story two small time crooks, Caesar Enrico Bandello, better known as "Rico," (Edward G. Robinson) and his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), and their two very different paths in life. The pair decide to move to Chicago to make it big in the city in the world of crime, first under a crime boss, but soon Rico starts grabbing for more power overthrowing his boss while Joe finds himself a nice girl and a passion for a career as a dancer. Joe pushes himself to leave the mob and have an honest life. The film is truly about the rise and fall of Rico. We watch as Rico's lifestyle leads him to great wealth, power, and respect as one of organized crimes greatest leaders. Through his determination Rico finds the American Dream through all the wrong paths which leads him to an abrupt, dark path that is his demise as the law cracks down on him. Left as a penniless bum in the streets Rico is ultimately gunned down ironically in the shadows of a large billboard donning the face of his former crime partner, Joe, now rich and famous as a dancer. This image shows us how the two have grown far apart is Rico dies a broken man while we see the success of Joe as an honest man far from his dark past.

The film would be one of the first major gangster films for the Warner Brother Studios in the 1930s. (Although the picture is officially made under the First National Studio name, it was owned by WB and would be completely dissolved within a few years.) Gangster films were around since the beginning of film, but with the rise of organized crime during prohibition the subject would became a running story in the newspapers. The lives of these great lawless men whom seemed to never be caught by the authorities for their deeds as crime lords were common known stories among the public. Warner Brothers had always seemed to be a different type of studio, pushing the limits and finding a different niche that others seemed to pass over. It was Warner Brothers that first came out with sound pictures, marked with The Jazz Singer, and the 30s marked a time where WB would glorify the crime drama with the likes of Little Caesar and Public Enemy giving the studio a distinct flavor that is refreshingly different from other studios, like MGM and their grandiose spectacles, Fox with its westerns, and Universal with its monster/horror flicks. It would be the gangster genre that would be most benefited genre after the turn from silent pictures to sound for now the sounds of danger accompanied the sights of the drama that came with gun violence. Now audiences would hear as tommy guns fired at the men on screen. Only the musical would benefit more for the coming of sound, but we all know that is obvious.

The picture would mark the beginning of Eward G. Robinson's stardom as one of screen most infamous gangster actors. In retrosect it is obvious that the picture was one that harkened at a story of Al Capone. Robinson happened to look a little like Capone helping him land the role, but it would he Robinson's mannerisms, voice, and his way he chewed a cgar that led him to be what most people would come to think of with they imagine a crime boss. His likeness would be imitated for years by others and even in Warner Brothers' own cartoons as his big lips and and the distinct way he would say "yeah!" made him ooze the charisma that became the mob bosses on the silver screen. In all actuality Robinson was a Jewish actor that was well educated and with the help of talking pictures would move into leading roles after many bit parts during the silent era. He was made for this type of role.

Also billed in the picture was Douglas Fairbanks Jr., son of the famous swashbuckling star of the silent era. Despite the picture not showcasing Fairbanks as it does Robinson, it was Fairbanks' name that would grab eyes of moviegoers before they entered the theater. Robinson would carry all of the picture as the story follows Rico, but the story of the character Joe is very much important to the arch of the tale as well. Fairbanks would seem to only be an actor because of his name, as he was signed for his first contact at age 14 without any work to his credit. Years later he would start to act on stage and would happen to be a surprisingly good actor. Other than his smile, you would not know he was the son of the famous Fairbanks, but it would be his name that would allow him to work. Fortunately his best work would not be on the screen but rather for his country as a member of the United States Navy during World War II.

To direct the picture was little known Mervyn LeRoy, a former gag writer during the silent era who would start directing small pictures. His success was that his small pictures did not cost much to produce, but make a profit, making him a studio's dream. Little Caesar would be his first and only major success. Due to his cost-profit ratio LeRoy would one day lead himself to become the head of production at MGM where he would be responsible to green light The Wizard of Oz. He was a true studio man indeed. Even with that in mind LeRoy's direction in Little Caesar is wonderful, creating some great cinematic shots and moments with Robinson. He captures with the camera the contrasting world of the streets and luxury through the eyes of a criminal in a way few would duplicate at that time.

The picture would be a success through the eyes of time. The film would gain an Oscar nomination for best screenplay film adaption. Seventy years later the picture would find a home in the Library of Congress as the picture captures significance in film and history capturing a world on the early 1930s. AFI would honor it as the ninth top gangster film of all time, falling one short of its sister film Public Enemy. The film woulkd be hailed as one of the best and would jump start a boom for the genre as well as jump start the careers of its stars and director. Little Caesar was a big picture in notes of movie history.