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Warner Bros. Pictures
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The Power-Mad Monarch of the Murder Mobs!
A small-time hood shoots his way to the top, but how long can he stay there?
CinemaSerf
Jun 13, 2022 · via TMDB
Edward G. Robinson is great in this early gangster talkie. He is "Rico", a clever and ambitious petty thief who decides it's time to move to the big city. Initially, he goes to work for "Sam Vettori" (Stanley Fields) but not long after, the local Crime Commissioner "McClure" is assassinated. Luckily, his buddy "Joe Massara" (Douglas Fairbanks Jr") is working at that self same club, and manages to warn "Rico" ahead of the subsequent police crackdown. It is now that he starts to smell an opportunity. First his boss, then the bigger boss "Pete Montana" (Ralph Ince) are toppled. Even his pal "Joe" and his gal "Olga" (Glenda Farrell) are not immune from his increasingly megalomanic tendencies. The thing I didn't especially like about this film is the ending - it is just a little too tame, but otherwise this is a solid effort from Mervyn LeRoy that really did bring out the best in Robinson with a quickly paced and enjoyable film.
John Chard
Dec 13, 2018 · via TMDB
You tell him the cops couldn't get me no other way, so they hired a couple of gunmen. Rico Bandello quickly rises through the gangster ranks, earning himself the nick-name of Little Caesar. As he sets his sights on the top boss job held by Pete Montana, Rico knows the heat is closing in - fast. Though not the first gangster picture to hit the big screen, Little Caesar is undeniably one of the genres landmark pictures. Adapted from W.R. Burnett's (High Sierra) Al Capone inspired novel, Little Caesar would go on to influence many of the genre highlights that followed, while in the process typecasting its star and icon, Edward G. Robinson. What is perhaps the first striking thing about viewing the film now is actually just how un-violent it is in context to what would follow it, and yet it never needs to be because this is not just about a violent uprising. With the advent of sound proving to be a winner with the fact that it's set outside of prison walls. The gangster genre by and large up to this point in 1931 consisted of mob characters behind bars, the sight of Rico about town amongst the noisy hustle and bustle surely would have depression jaded cinema goers, director Mervyn LeRoy exploits this by utilising opened the eyes and ears of the paying public. I wasn't around back then so have no on the spot frame of reference, but the professional critics point to many allegories that reside within Little Caesar's structure. Talk of paranoias and conformities during economic collapse, which are for sure points of reference for those so inclined to analyse and dissect Caesar as a whole. Yet to me it's a gangster picture first and foremost, outlaying the rise and fall of a very dubious man with big ideals above his relatively small social standing. Rico has ruthless violence constantly itching to burst out, add in definite hints of sexual ambiguity and this makes him a troubling yet most intriguing character. That it works so well obviously is down to Edward G. Robinson's portrayal, big bulging eyes and snappy slang phrases (this themselves must have really hit a chord with the viewersback in the day), Robinson gives the performance that so many have imitated over the years, where he probably defined the archetype in the process. It does look a little dated now, but of course that is only natural, but this is a powerful film that rises above merely being a hoodlum based piece. Producer Darryl Zanuck wanted something different for this burgeoning genre, and with the might of Warners revelling in the power of the talkie movie, they all crafted one hell of a picture that enthrals still today as much as it has influenced through the decades. Things most definitely changed with Little Caesar. 8/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Edward G. Robinson
Caesar Enrico 'Rico' Bandello aka 'Little Caesar'
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Joe Massara
Glenda Farrell
Olga Stassoff
William Collier Jr.
Tony Passa
Sidney Blackmer
Big Boy
Ralph Ince
Pete Montana
Thomas E. Jackson
Sgt. Flaherty
Stanley Fields
Sam Vettori
Maurice Black
Little Arnie Lorch
George E. Stone
Otero
Armand Kaliz
De Voss
Ernie Adams
Cashier (uncredited)
Ferike Boros
Mrs. Passa (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps
Detective (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer
New Year's Celebrant (uncredited)
Ben Hendricks Jr.
Kid Bean (uncredited)
Al Hill
Rico's 'Butler' (uncredited)
Lucille La Verne
Ma Magdalena (uncredited)
Noel Madison
Killer Peppi (uncredited)
Tom McGuire
Detective on Phone (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux
Hood (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
Waiter (uncredited)
Larry Steers
McClure Guest (uncredited)
Landers Stevens
Alvin McClure - Crime Commissioner (uncredited)
Bob Walker
Lorch Henchman (uncredited)
Anton Grot
Art Direction
Tony Gaudio
Director of Photography
Darryl F. Zanuck
Additional Writing
Mervyn LeRoy
Director
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Producer
Erno Rapee
Music Director
David Mendoza
Original Music Composer
W.R. Burnett
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Pavlínka
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1922
The True Game of Death
The Good German
When the Legends Die
The Heist
Marrying the Mafia 2
Blood and Chocolate
A Crime
Resurrection
Macu, la mujer del policía
Don't Look Back
The Passion of Ayn Rand
Marrying the Mafia 3: Family Hustle
Her Private Affair
Equator
International Prostitution : Brigade criminelle
While They Were Sleeping
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The Mask of Dimitrios
The Wrong Man
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Murder in Three Acts
Winged Creatures
Twist
Jan 3, 1931
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jan 9, 1931
New York City, New York
Jan 25, 1931
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Stripper Wives
1999
Sally's Beauty Spot
1990
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
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