Public Enemies (2009)

Release Date

July 1, 2009 (USA)

Director

Michael Mann

Writer(s)

Ronan Bennett, Michael Mann and Ann Biderman (screenplay); Bryan Burrough (book "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34")

Main Cast

Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, David Wenham, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, Rory Cochrane, John Ortiz, Billy Crudup

Studio

Universal Pictures

Genre

Drama, Crime/Gangster and Adaptation

MoQuotable

None

Mo Micro Review

Robbing hood, John Dillinger, cuts a bloody path across the American Midwest, brazenly burglarizing banks and busting out of the penitentiary. During a 13-month span from 1933-1934, Dillinger’s Depression-era dasterdly deeds captivate the public and antagonize law enforcement.

Director Michael Mann (Heat) brings the tale of the stick up legend to the screen with his signature panache in Public Enemies. The film stars Johnny Depp as Dillinger and Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis – the G-man charged with capturing the galavanting gangster. Full of the ra-ta-tat-tat the typified the mobster flicks of the 1930s, Public Enemies is also an engaging crime drama with stunning visuals and costumes. Featured in the film is Oscar winner, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, Channing Tatum and Giovanni Ribisi. (M. Lowe; MOSAEC.com)

MoNews

None

Synopsis

No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone -- from his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard) to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression.

But while the adventures of Dillinger's gang -- later including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson and Alvin Karpis -- thrilled many, Hoover hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI.''

However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of lawmen from the Dallas bureau and orchestrating epic betrayals--from the infamous "Lady in Red'' to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti--were Purvis, the FBI and their new crew of gunfighters able to close in on Dillinger.  (Studio)

DVD/Blu-ray Features

• Larger than Life: Adversaries—Stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale face off in their portrayals of the real legendary gangsters shown in the film.
• Michael Mann: Making Public Enemies—See Michael Mann work with his cast and crew including Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard.
• Last of the Legendary Outlaws—A look at the real John Dillinger and other notorious American gangsters including Bonnie & Clyde and Pretty Boy Floyd.
• On Dillinger’s Trail: The Real Locations—Compare the real locations used in the film through behind-the-scenes and archival footage.
• Director’s Commentary—Feature commentary with director Michael Mann.
• Criminal Technology—A study of the guns from the 1930s. Watch Johnny Depp and other cast members learn how to fire them realistically.
• The Public Enemies Blu-ray and two-disc Special Edition DVD will also be available with Digital Copy for a limited time only. Transfer the digital copy to your iPod, Mac or PC and experience Public Enemies anywhere, anytime!

Public Enemies on Blu-ray Hi-Def offers these exclusive bonus features:

• U-Control™—Universal’s exclusive signature feature puts the viewer just one click away from going deeper into the making of the film without ever leaving the movie.

  * Picture-In-Picture—Dig deeper behind-the-scenes with production-related featurettes on how cast and crew brought Dillinger and his accomplices to life.

• * Interactive Timeline— Follow three timelines of a national crime spree that spanned 14 months from 1933-1934 and view in depth coverage on Dillinger and his gang through archival materials, historians and family members
  
• BD-Live™—Blu-ray viewers can access the BD-LiveTM Center through an Internet-connected player to download more exclusive content, the latest trailers and more!
• My Chat—Use Internet-connected players to host a text chat while watching the movie with friends who also own Public Enemies on Blu-ray Hi-Def.
• My Public Enemies Commentary—UniversalHiDef.com and the BD-LiveTM Center together offer the opportunity to create video, audio or text commentary that can be shared with others in the BD-LiveTM community.
• My Scenes Sharing—Bookmark favorite scenes from the movie then share with BD-LiveTM buddies!
• Gangster Movie Challenge—Test your knowledge of some of Hollywood’s most infamous gangsters, then see how you rank on the leaderboard.

The single disc DVD version of Public Enemies includes the “Larger than Life: Adversaries” bonus features as well as Director’s Commentary.

Official Site

Public Enemies

Mosaec.com Movie Rating

myMosaec Rating