‘G' MEN
US, 1935, 85 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Margaret Lindsay, Ann Dvorak, Robert Armstrong, Barton Mac Lane, Lloyd Nolan.
Directed by William Keighley.
In 1949 a prologue was added to the film, commemorating the twenty-five years of the FBI. In this prologue, David Bryan speaks to recruits and agents of the FBI and advises them to watch the film.
The film was propaganda for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, Hoover goes to a screening of ‘G' Men and a clip is included. There is a scene in that film where he meets Shirley Temple, indicating his success with publicising the work of the FBI and keeping public attention.
In fact, there have been many films about the FBI – in the 50s, James Stewart starred in The FBI Story. In the 1980s, Kevin Costner was Eliot Ness combating Al Capone (Robert De Niro) in The Untouchables – based on the television series. In 2008, Johnny Depp starred as John Dillinger in Public Enemies. From the 30s to the 21st century there were many Hollywood films about the range of famous gangsters of the period. James Cagney himself had been a gangster in Public Enemy.
The film is brisk, echoing the style of James Cagney’s screen presence, always fast, fast-talking, fast on the draw. He portrays a law student who has been put through the university by a gangster who wants out. When he has little to do as a lawyer and his agent friend is killed, he applies to the FBI, falling foul of one of the instructors played by Robert Armstrong. Cagney is friends with a dancer in a restaurant, Ann Dvorak, but falls for his instructor’s sister, a haughty nurse, played by Margaret Lindsay.
He is able to give information about murders and bank robberies because of his associations in New York. Instead of going out in the field, his friend and an agent, played by Lloyd Nolan in his first film, goes out and is killed. This makes Cagney more determined to hunt down the killers – and the film is a conventional look at the agents and the sieges trying to oust the gangsters. There are dramatic turns at the end involving both of the women.
The film was directed by William Keighley who directed Cagney in The Fighting 69th, one of Cagney’s vital performances. Keighley made films like The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Master of Ballantrae. The film was written by Seton I. Miller, a prolific writer of films from the 20s to the 50s.
1. The impact of this film now? The status of the FBI? Of J. Edgar Hoover? The origins of the FBI and its history? Its contribution to controlling crime in the United States? The gangster period? The 1949 prologue and its praising of the FBI?
2. A Warner Bros production, black and white photography, New York City, Washington DC, Chicago? The Warner Bros cast? James Cagney as lead – credible as an FBI agent? The musical score?
3. The focus on Brick Davis, in his office, put through university, graduating in law, not much business? His later explanation of his being young, in the gutter, taken on by the gangster – and educated? Vowing not to be a criminal? The application, Davis deciding to apply? His going to see the gangster who supported him? His friendship with Jean, her dancing at the restaurant?
4. Going to Washington, the encounter with Jeff Mc Cord? Mc Cord his antagonism? Not wanting lawyers? The discussions with the head, the training – and the collage of the exercises and training for being an agent? The knockout by Davis?
5. The situation in New York? The robberies, the killings? The evidence from bullets? The fingerprint expert? The discovery of the criminal? The preparations, Hugh Farrell being sent out – and his work, tracking down the criminals? The siege and his being killed?
6. Davis’s determination, Mc Cord and his letting him go? Davis and the encounter with Kay, her haughtiness, his wearing her down?
7. The criminals? The encounter with Jean? Married to Collins? Giving the information about the holiday house? The group there? The police going, the siege? The criminals using the retired gangster as a human shield – and her being shot? By Davis? Davis’s grief?
8. Collins, escaping, going to see Jean? The mechanic indicating that Jean had gone to the police? His confronting her, her phoning? Her death? In hospital, with Davis with her? Her attempt to save Kay?
9. Kay, taken hostage, in the car, Collins’s threats? Davis and the confrontation with Collins? Kay’s safety? Mc Cord and his being wounded – and his increasingly grudging admiration for Davis? Not allowing Davis to go and leave the FBI when he was upset after the death of his patron?
10. A 1930s picture of FBI activity? The interesting comparisons with versions in later decades? And the various films on J. Edgar Hoover and the origins and management of the FBI? Its developments of interstate laws and the plea to government, fingerprinting, files and the improvement of policing and the work of agents over the decades?
