Little Caesar ***** (1931, Edward G Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Glenda Farrell) – Classic Movie Review 3678

Director Mervyn LeRoy’s pioneering 1931 film noir-style movie is a classic Warner Bros Thirties gangster movie, voted in the top 10 all-time greatest gangster films by the American Film Institute. Edward G Robinson permanently etches himself into the movie-goers’ consciousness as the vain, boastful and nasty Al Capone-style mobster killer Cesare Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello, aka Little Caesar.

Al Capone-style mobster he may be, but Rico is based on Salvatore ‘Sam’ Cardinella, a Chicago gangster operating in the early years of Prohibition.

It is incredibly fresh, resonant and powerful still, even though the story of the gangster’s rise and fall (‘Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?’) has been endlessly copied and parodied, and the technical quality of the film is affected by its early sound production. LeRoy directs intensely and at a crackerjack pace, making every second of its short 80 minute running time count.

It was a huge hit in its day, starting up the Thirties gangster movie cycle and turning Robinson into a star which he remained for 40 years. And it is right that the movie is Robinson’s triumph. It features what may be the first drive-by shooting murder in a movie.

It also stars Douglas Fairbanks Jnr as Joe Massara (based on actor George Raft), Glenda Farrell as Olga Stassoff, William Collier Jr as Tony Passa, Ralph Ince as Diamond Pete Montana (modelled on Jim Colosimo, who was murdered by Al Capone) and Sidney Blackmer as the Big Boy (based on corrupt Mayor of Chicago William ‘Big Bill’ Thompson).

Also in the cast are Thomas E Jackson, George E Stone, Stanley Fields, Armand Kaliz, Maurice Black, Nicholas Bela, Ernie Adams, Elmer Ballard, Ferike Boros, Kernan Cripps, George Daily, Ben Hendricks Jr, Al Hill, Lucille La Verne, Gladys Lloyd, Noel Madison, Tom McGuire, Louis Natheaux, Larry Steers and Landers Stevens.

The Oscar nominated screenplay by Francis Edward Faragoh and Robert N Lee, and (uncredited) Robert Lord and producer Darryl F Zanuck is adapted from W R Burnett’s novel.

Incidentally, Robinson was never ever even nominated for an Oscar but in old age was given a belated honorary Oscar for ‘achieving greatness as a player’ in 1973.

Burnett was angry that no Italians were cast in the film.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3678

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