JAMES CAGNEY REPLACES EDWARD WOODS FOR 'THE PUBLIC ENEMY'

Title: THE PUBLIC ENEMY Year: 1931 Rating: ****

It's already known but equally confusing when THE PUBLIC ENEMY prologue introduces a tall young instigator and his much shorter sidekick breaking laws — then to grow up a tall and lanky follower of the pint-size firebrand in charge... and that's because once James Cagney was recast to lead Edward Woods, the backstory intro wasn't changed...

Which hardly really matters... once Cagney appears on screen he's as mesmerizing to the audience as he was to director William A. Wellman, who saw him in another movie's walk-on, and was convinced the days of secondary-lead... like SINNER'S HOLIDAY and BACK DOOR TO HEAVEN... were long gone...

James Cagney and Edward Woods in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

And it's still a memorable, legendary performance, especially shoving grapefruit in Mae Clarke's face... one of several gangster's molls including Joan Blondell and co-starring ingenue Jean Harlow... in what's unfortunately more of a criminal cautionary tale than the kind of spontaneous, free-spirited programmer Cagney sustained throughout the 1930's — although ENEMY does have some crooked and boisterous, villainous fun... 

Especially during the initial climb when he and Woods go from grownup juvenile hoods to well-paid gangsters, having always worked for scene-stealing mentor Robert Emmett O'Connor despite melodramatic lectures from his annoyingly pious family and, while the director chose wisely, he didn't realize Cagney being bad exceeds constantly being warned against it, providing the otherwise perfect casting its only (slight) drawback.

Frankie Daro and Frank Coghlan Jr. in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

Frankie Daro and Frank Coghlan Jr. in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

Frankie Daro and Frank Coghlan Jr. in THE PUBLIC ENEMY with with Robert Emmett O'Connor

James Cagney and Edward Woods in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

James Cagney and Edward Woods in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

James Cagney and pious big brother Donald Cook in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

James Cagney in THE PUBLIC ENEMY

James Cagney and Mae Clarke in THE PUBLIC ENEMY