"Little Caesar" *** 1\2 (out of ****)
There had been other crime
dramas before it – D.W. Griffith directed “The Musketeers of Pig Alley” (1912),
selected last year by the Library of Congress for preservation, “The Racket”
(1928), nominated for best picture at the first Academy Award ceremony – but
few may have been as influential as “Little Caesar” (1931).
The gangster movies of the 1930s have a special place in
the history of American cinema. They are reflective of their time and comment
on the public’s fascination with figures such as “Baby Face” Nelson, John
Dillinger and Al Capone, who may have served as the inspiration for the
characters in “Little Caesar” and “Scarface” (1932) with Paul Muni. Made during
the Great Depression, when Prohibition was enforced, many believe gangster
movies romanticized bank robbers and created public sympathy for characters
interpreted as symbols of the American Dream gone awry. One can argue we see
this in the movies of today such as “Hell or High Water” (2016).
Based on a novel written by Oscar-nominated writer W.R.
Burnett, who was nominated for the war movie “Wake Island” (1942), “Little
Caesar” tells of the now familiar tale of a small-time hood who works his way
up the ranks of a life of crime and his eventual downfall. When we first meet
Rico aka Little Caesar (Edward G. Robinson) he has just robbed a gas station
and shot a man. He and his partner, Joe (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), hide out at a
diner. After reading about a famous gangster in the paper, Rico reveals he too
wants to be famous, a “somebody”; he wants to strike fear in people, something
he equates with respect. At that moment, he decides to go to Chicago, where big
things happen.
This actually is not unlike a story of a young actor or
dancer living in a small town that heads out to a major city in the hopes of
finding fame and success. Once in Chicago, Rico and Joe join a gang headed by
Sam Vettori (Stanley Fields, who often played opposite many of the great comedians
and comedy teams of the era such as Laurel & Hardy, Eddie Cantor and
Wheeler & Woolsey). It is clear however that Rico doesn’t like taking
orders and a power struggle develops between the two men while Joe wants to
make a clean break and start a new life as a dancer with his girlfriend, Olga
(Glenda Farrell). But is it ever possible to leave a gang or will his old life
always follow him? This idea would become very prominent in heist movies.
Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg in 1893 in Bucharest,
Romania) had acted in a few movies prior to “Little Caesar”. His first movie
credit dates to 1916 but it was his performance here that is believed to have
made him a star and forever identify him with tough guy roles. Robinson, at
various times, plays the character with a child’s wide-eyed fascination as he
looks at the expensive clothes others are wearing and marvels at their
beautiful homes. Other times, Robinson plays up the character’s mean streak and
cold nature and adds moments of vulnerability, especially in regards to the
character’s relationship with Joe, touching on the theme of loyalty often found
in gangster movies. Some even interpret their relationship as having a
homosexual undercurrent. Masculinity is a theme of the movie, and the genre
popularized the image of the “macho male”.
Nominated for an Academy Award in the best writing,
adaptation category, the movie’s success critically and at the box office
inspired the release of other gangster movies such as “Scarface” and “Public
Enemy” (1931) starring James Cagney (another actor associated with tough guy
roles). It has been suggested that because of the “glorified violence” in these
movies, the Motion Picture Production Code (or the Hays Code) started its strict
enforcement, beginning in 1934 (thus the term “pre-code”), but even prior to
this Hollywood was placing a great emphasis on establishing a moral, “crime
doesn’t pay” message. “Little Caesar” opens with a biblical quote taken from
Matthew: 26-52, “For all then that take the sword, shall perish with the
sword”.
The influence of “Little Caesar” can be seen in the films
of Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma. Although “Little Caesar” may seem dated
to younger movie goers the movie’s significant place in cinema cannot be
debated. Perhaps “crime doesn’t pay” but watching “Little Caesar” does.
Posts
