crime films era american film production early sound era enforcement code denoted era contained violence crime pictures seen decades later office specifically recommended removing profanity drug trade prostitution pictures officially recommended depictions violence form 1920s state censor boards created guidelines new_york particular developed list violent material removed picture shown state main types crime films released period gangster picture prison film gangster pictures released early 1930s public enemy built template created gangster movie underworld featured rise eventual fall organized criminal described crime film scholar maxim films insist win given lose counts controversial violent film took nearly year reach theaters battles obviously based life like outraged civic leaders felt movies lifestyles criminals stirred action ohio fire resulted deaths guards refused let inmates cells hollywood produced movies depicted harsh conditions prisons time prototype prison genre picture features future genre staples solitary confinement riots escape codes prison life box office hits prison pictures failed attract female audiences needed achieve financial success chain gang films produced similar response chain gang system prevalent states southern film fugitive considered seminal movie genre based autobiography fugitive time picture release early crime films early 1900s america primarily rural country especially terms self identity film pig alley earliest american films feature urban organized crime prohibition arrival created environment wanted drink interact criminals especially urban areas nonetheless urban crime genre ignored film underworld recognized gangster movie surprise hit according encyclopedia hollywood entry underworld film established fundamental elements gangster movie hero ominous night city streets finale cut protagonist gangster films lights new_york doorway hell released capitalize underworld popularity later described virtual remake film motivated financial gain increasingly competitive film market motivated fact provocative pictures sold tickets movies pushed boundaries film violence late 1920s crime films depicted organized crime broadway investigated connection broadway productions films broadway recommended banning violence form 1920s unlike profanity drug trade prostitution advised dealt carefully new_york censor board active board state reviewing country annual releases violent scenes removed instances gun pointed camera instances guns pointed body character shots machine guns featured scenes criminals shot law enforcement officers scenes involving stabbing knife considered disturbing audiences involving torture scenes considered educational depiction crime methods violence reaction shots showing faces individuals receiving end violence considered especially sensitive areas code later recommended scenes showing robbery theft safe cracking arson use firearms trains machines buildings brutal killings basis rejected local birth hollywood gangster motion picture genre pre code era gangster film vice films outraged moral guardians city fathers high caliber scenarios screen heroes stone killers early 1930s real life criminals celebrities particular captured american imagination like transformed perception entire towns gave chicago reputation american bullet proof running boards state street flower shop windows competition blood appeared cover time magazine offered seven figure sums major hollywood studios appear film declined national celebrity bank arrest escaped confinement times celebrated public outlaw father appeared popular series giving police advice catch son popularity rose fast variety joked remains large longer interviews obtained petitions circulated president wrote studios march portrayed motion picture april month release recruited police chief august conduct study effect gangster pictures children finished work stated gangster films actually favorable depiction police results defend film industry censorship board impressed removed crime scenes pictures factors gangster pictures subversive difficult economic times depression existed viewpoint way financial success crime convinced lead higher rates juvenile argued adults affected films misleading children youth problem local theater owners advertised gangster pictures singular theaters displayed tommy guns real life murders tied promotions situation reached studios ask tone promotions genre entered new level following release film featured career defining performance gangster public enemy starring featuring incredibly violent films created new type anti hero driven performance protagonist considered actors vehicles gangster films released genre popularity began end prohibition backlash gangster pictures swift announced studio stop making let year old son year old head production decided gangster picture close friends killed purchased rights novel chicago reporter penned gangster story seeing aftermath ordered day massacre generally considered grandfather gangster films robinson close friend played chicago joe wants straight meets woman seeks life crime joins gang rising rank boss crime family concerned friend threatens point joe girlfriend goes police unable bring kill joe eliminate witness goes hiding police publish press shot killed police dying says mother mercy end film characterized tight lean narrative runs pace minutes character portrayed admirable shown possess little intelligence picture simple obvious storyline filmed brighter images triumphant rise night shot fall later film critics robinson performances frequently cited film saving grace role robinson led comic animated characters originally robinson cast small role convinced film producer let play lead told flooded complaints people saw kids theaters nationwide gang leader hero joy disagreed film released joy argued ruthless criminal acts stronger audience reaction men kind organized crime general despite personal letter joy pleading film case head new_york censor board extensively edited film pennsylvania board success inspired mgm secret fox paramount big hollywood gangster came picture public enemy public enemy released following year features career defining performance time adapted unpublished beer blood written adapted screen bright enemy takes place film similar template set follows rise eventual fall world crime character contrasts brother wants straight mother center conflict sons extremely violent famous scene picture referred scene eating breakfast girlfriend half face scene famous rest life restaurant patrons send table violent women gangster film picture knocks woman interested violently throws seat car enemy based irish gangster dean scene kills horse caused death friend inspired similar real life event louis guns shot horse film trailer featured scenes movie merely contained warning picture intensity showcased gun fired camera produced enemy heavily involved film production aimed movie characters immoral free morals devoid conscience showed film mgm remarked motion picture motion picture conceded film story needed told states convinced maryland ohio cut scene states cut scene powers sleeps gang den mother drunk wakes realizes took advantage public enemy massive box office success helped financial fortunes operating red time embarrassed remarked film opening greatest american public beginning vote hard boiled realism literature stage marked post war period violent controversial gangster film undoubtedly directed starring film based life film begins works unhappy subordinate attracted girlfriend poppy deep love sister remain deemed warns leave north controlled rival mob ignores warning begins series executions result war north gang takes gang point tries kill fails murders poppy girl finds missing sister hotel room closest friend coin gangster played goes rage kills finds married wanted surprise film ends sister police home production troubled start office warned film producer film ignored pleas telling hawks screw office start picture realistic exciting possible film completed late office demanded numerous changes including conclusion captured tried convicted hung demanded film carry subtitle shame nation hughes sent picture numerous state censorship boards saying hoped film combat gangster menace failing film past censor board headed changes hughes decided release movie version close original form local refused release edited version sent ensure cycle gangster films nature coming end provoked outrage mainly unprecedented violence shifts tone comedic writing said film blends comedy horror manner suggests let loose live machine gun scene inside cafe machine gun fire car rival gang headed way assistant following orders keeps trying answer phone instead passes cafe barrage picks tommy gun dropped exhibits child like wonder excitement new toy civic leaders furious like blatant inspiration applauded movie houses america biographical details character obviously taken detail close impossible draw parallels sent members gang threaten screenwriter able convince picture based released film purchased personal copy film remained circulation hughes death universal released picture scenes film original cut lost prison films contrast social system outside walls prison film portrayed universe state powerful orderly sparked ohio fire april guards refused release prisoners cells causing deaths films depicted conditions prisons early 1930s genre composed prison film chain gang film prison film large men identical uniforms resigned fate live defined code chain gang film southern prisoners subjected system outdoors treated terribly ruthless captors prototype prison genre fugitive considered seminal film chain gang genre chain gang film hell highway beaten fugitive screen months earlier exerted influence plays sentences years committing influence cell mates murderer played played picture features future staples prison genre solitary confinement riots escape codes prison life protagonist montgomery ends character sell prison early release film banned ohio site deadly prison riots inspired criminal code shadow law convict code seven studios followed prison films appealed men weak box office performances result studios produced children prison films addressed juvenile problems america depression mayor hell instance featured kids killing abusive reform school retribution chain gang films fugitive based true story robert far famous early 1930s chain gang films half true detective mysteries magazine published burns work issues released book january decorated veteran paul returns world war changed man seeks alternative tedious job left travels country looking construction work ultimate goal involved construction planning allen follows met homeless shelter cafe taking offer free meal attempts rob allen charged convicted stealing dollars sentenced years chain gang men transported quarry break rocks day remain times allen convinces large black prisoner particularly good aim hit bend removes feet bent famous sequence escapes woods chased outside develops new identity respected developer chicago marriage woman love finds secret threatens leave young woman fallen love turns case cause agrees turn agreement serve days released tricked freed agreed time forces escape seeks young woman telling hunted films end asking survives ominous reply darkness steal based reality changes facts slightly appeal depression era audiences making allen return home country struggling economically burns returned twenties film bleak anti establishment ending shocked audiences laughter hell film directed starring inspired fugitive brien plays railroad engineer kills wife lover jealous rage sent prison dead man brother ends warden prison brien character brien revolt killing warden escaping film lost drew controversy scene black men hung reports vary blacks hung alongside white men african american weekly newspaper film critic praised filmmakers courageous depict atrocities occurring southern states
Pre-Code crime films