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Public Enemies

"America's Most Wanted."

2009-07-01 Crime 2hr 20m

Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

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Storyline

Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

  • Released
    2009-07-01
  • Revenue
    $214,104,620
  • Budget
    $100,000,000
  • Runtime
    2hr 20m
  • Genre
    Crime, History, Drama
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    6.9
  • Production
    Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Forward Pass, Misher Films

Crew

Michael Mann
Director
Ann Biderman
Screenplay
Kevin Misher
Producer

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Cast

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp

John Dillinger
Christian Bale

Christian Bale

Melvin Purvis
Marion Cotillard

Marion Cotillard

Billie Frechette
Jason Clarke

Jason Clarke

'Red' Hamilton
Rory Cochrane

Rory Cochrane

Agent Carter Baum
Billy Crudup

Billy Crudup

J. Edgar Hoover
Stephen Dorff

Stephen Dorff

Homer Van Meter
Stephen Lang

Stephen Lang

Charles Winstead
John Ortiz

John Ortiz

Phil D'Andrea
Giovanni Ribisi

Giovanni Ribisi

Alvin Karpis
David Wenham

David Wenham

Harry 'Pete' Pierpont
John Michael Bolger

John Michael Bolger

Martin Zarkovich
Bill Camp

Bill Camp

Frank Nitti
Matt Craven

Matt Craven

Gerry Campbell
Don Frye

Don Frye

Clarence Hurt
Christian Stolte

Christian Stolte

Charles Makley
Spencer Garrett

Spencer Garrett

Tommy Carroll
Peter Gerety

Peter Gerety

Louis Piquett
Shawn Hatosy

Shawn Hatosy

Agent John Madala
Stephen Graham

Stephen Graham

Baby Face Nelson
John Hoogenakker

John Hoogenakker

Agent Hugh Clegg
Domenick Lombardozzi

Domenick Lombardozzi

Gilbert Catena
Emilie de Ravin

Emilie de Ravin

Anna Patzke
Leelee Sobieski

Leelee Sobieski

Polly Hamilton
David Warshofsky

David Warshofsky

Warden Baker
Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan

Carol Slayman
Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum

Pretty Boy Floyd
John Judd

John Judd

Turnkey
Michael Vieau

Michael Vieau

Ed Shouse
John Kishline

John Kishline

Guard Dainard
James Russo

James Russo

Walter Dietrich
Wesley Walker

Wesley Walker

Jim Leslie
John Scherp

John Scherp

Earl Adams
Elena Kenney

Elena Kenney

Viola Norris
William Nero Jr.

William Nero Jr.

Toddler on Farm
Madison Dirks

Madison Dirks

Agent Warren Barton
Len Bajenski

Len Bajenski

Police Chief Fultz
Andrzej Krukowski

Andrzej Krukowski

Oscar Lieboldt
Casey Siemaszko

Casey Siemaszko

Harry Berman
Peter DeFaria

Peter DeFaria

Grover Weyland
Jeff Shannon

Jeff Shannon

Angry Cop
Brian Connelly

Brian Connelly

Officer Chester Boyard
Ed Bruce

Ed Bruce

Senator McKellar
Geoffrey Cantor

Geoffrey Cantor

Harry Suydam
Chandler Williams

Chandler Williams

Clyde Tolson
David Paul Innes

David Paul Innes

Hoover Reporter #2
Joe Carlson

Joe Carlson

Hoover Reporter #3
Ben Mac Brown

Ben Mac Brown

Hoover Reporter #4
Diana Krall

Diana Krall

Torch Singer
Duane Sharp

Duane Sharp

Doorman at Gold Coast
Richard Short

Richard Short

Agent Sam Cowley
Randy Ryan

Randy Ryan

Agent Julius Rice
Kurt Naebig

Kurt Naebig

Agent William Rorer
Adam Mucci

Adam Mucci

Agent Harold Reinecke
Rebecca Spence

Rebecca Spence

Doris Rogers
Danni Simon

Danni Simon

May Minczeles
Don Harvey

Don Harvey

Customer at Steuben Club
Shanyn Leigh

Shanyn Leigh

Helen Gillis
Laurence Mason

Laurence Mason

Porter at Union Station
Lili Taylor

Lili Taylor

Sheriff Lillian Holley
Donald G. Asher

Donald G. Asher

Reporter #1
Andrew C. Steele

Andrew C. Steele

Reporter #2
Brian McConkey

Brian McConkey

Photographer
Alan Wilder

Alan Wilder

Robert Estill
Michael Bentt

Michael Bentt

Herbert Youngblood
John Lister

John Lister

Judge Murray
Jim Carrane

Jim Carrane

Sam Cahoon
Joseph Mazurk

Joseph Mazurk

Guard Bryant
John Fenner Mays

John Fenner Mays

Deputy Blunk
Rick Uecker

Rick Uecker

Edward Saager
Jason T. Arnold

Jason T. Arnold

Other Jr. G-Man
Andrew Blair

Andrew Blair

Other Jr. G-Man
Mark Vallarta

Mark Vallarta

Harry Berg
Daniel Maldonado

Daniel Maldonado

Jacob Solomon
Sean A. Rosales

Sean A. Rosales

Joe Pawlowski
Stephen Spencer

Stephen Spencer

Emil Wanatka
Gareth Saxe

Gareth Saxe

Agent Ray Suran
Guy Van Swearingen

Guy Van Swearingen

Agent Ralph Brown
Jeff Still

Jeff Still

Jimmy Probasco
Lance Baker

Lance Baker

Freddie Barker
Steve Key

Steve Key

Doc Barker
Jerry Goff

Jerry Goff

Captain O'Neill
David Carde

David Carde

Special Agent
Aaron Roman Weiner

Aaron Roman Weiner

Special Agent
Keith Kupferer

Keith Kupferer

Agent Sopsic
Turk Muller

Turk Muller

Other East Chicago Cop
Tim Grimm

Tim Grimm

Other East Chicago Cop
Martie Sanders

Martie Sanders

Irene the Ticket Taker
Robyn LeAnn Scott

Robyn LeAnn Scott

Ella Natasky
Jordan Lawson

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Prisoner (uncredited)
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Joel Thingvall

Joel Thingvall

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Public Enemies
reviewer avatar

A Review by FilipeManuelNeto 9

Written by FilipeManuelNeto on 2024-06-02

**Dillinger, an iconic bandit in a respectful and well-made film.** There is no shortage of quality films about Prohibition and the many ... read more

**Dillinger, an iconic bandit in a respectful and well-made film.** There is no shortage of quality films about Prohibition and the many notable criminals of this era in American history: Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel and others form a kind of “golden age” of organized crime. John Dillinger is among them, occupying a top place on the list of great criminals of this era. After a rebellious and delinquent youth, Dillinger deserted the Navy and ended up being sentenced to almost twenty years in prison after a grocery store robbery. The sentence was considered excessively heavy and left Dillinger resentful. From then on, he made the Indiana State Penitentiary his school of crime until he was released in 1933. With his freedom, he formed his first gang and began the bank robberies that made him famous. In 1934, he was arrested in Arizona and sent to Crown Point, Indiana, from where he made a spectacular escape, using a fake pistol made from a bar of soap or wood. His escape, the notoriety he had already acquired and the interstate nature of his crimes led to the involvement of the recently founded FBI. Meanwhile, Dillinger formed a second group of criminals which included the equally famous “Baby-Face” Nelson, and resumed his robberies, while trying to elude the authorities. Months later, and after almost being arrested on several occasions, he was betrayed and denounced, and murdered outside a cinema. The film is quite good. It is faithful enough to the events and to Dillinger's life, but mixes things up a bit, changing the order of events in order to increase dramatic tension (for example, the death of “Pretty Boy” Floyd is shown well before Dillinger's death , but it happened months later, in a corn field). Furthermore, the film exaggerates things. However, these are concessions that I accept because the film, in addition to being a fictional piece, is reasonably respectful of historical facts. I don't accept the poorly explanatory narrative so easily: anyone who doesn't know Dillinger and his life well will have some difficulty following the film. This may help to understand why this film was a failure outside the US, where John Dillinger is little known. Michael Mann is a very competent director, thorough and respectful of the past. We saw these characteristics in “Last of the Mohicans” and “Collateral”, among other quality films. The director does a very good job in this film, which follows well the adventures of the criminal's life and his tricks to elude the police. The cinematography is magnificent and makes wonderful use of light and color, especially in scenes filmed at night, and the filming locations, props, vehicles, costumes and sets are convincing and quite realistic. The film's biggest flaw, for me, is the dispassionate way it approaches everything. Considering that the protagonist is an outlaw and that nothing he did was acceptable, having managed to like him would have been a bonus. In fact, what stood out to me the most was the extremely thin line that separated the agents of the law and the criminals they pursued: think about it, Dillinger was not detained to be present at a trial, he was executed in a public square and surrounded by hundreds of people who could have been injured if things had gone out of control. Who is hero or villain? The waters are murky, in the film as in life itself. All I can do is talk about the cast, which is confidently led by Johnny Depp, an actor who has a special talent for complicated and unusual characters, and who gives us a very competent interpretation. Christian Bale, another talented actor for impactful characters, played the federal agent in charge of arresting Dillinger, and he is extraordinary in his effort. Marion Cotillard does what she can in the role of Dillinger's girlfriend, but the truth is that the film did not need any attempt at romance, even though the character was necessary to understand the life of the heartthrob criminal, and that's why she doesn't add much to the product. Final. There are also notable additions to the cast, including Stephen Graham, David Wenham and James Russo.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Filipe Manuel Neto

**Dillinger, an iconic bandit in a respectful and well-made film.** There is no shortage of quality films about Prohibition and the many notable criminals of this era in American history: Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel and others form a kind of...

reviewer avatar

A Review by FilipeManuelNeto 9

Written by FilipeManuelNeto on 2024-06-02

**Dillinger, an iconic bandit in a respectful and well-made film.** There is no shortage of quality films about Prohibition and the many notable criminals of this era in American history: Al Capone...

read more