"Little Caesar" was the first of the three movies that founded the gangster film as an art form during the age of sound. The other two were "The Public Enemy", released three months after Little Caesar, and 1932's "Scarface". The movie itself may only rate 8/10 stars, but it is Edward G. Robinson's performance that rates 10/10 stars.
The film starts out with a distance shot of a gas station robbery in which the attendant is gunned down. You see the lights in the station go out, you hear the shots, you see the getaway car speed away. You can guess the rest. Such a scene would have not been nearly as powerful before the advent of sound and helps establish the ruthless nature of Rico. Later, Rico (Edward G. Robinson) and his partner Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) are talking in a diner. Rico has designs on heading to the big city and getting in with a gang there. His partner is only interested in this life from the financial security angle, since he actually wants to go straight. Rico, though, believes in the gangster's version of the American dream and wants to climb to the top of the gangland power structure.
Although "the big city" is never named, it seems to be Chicago from the various neighborhoods mentioned. Once there, Rico joins up with Sam Vettori's gang. Joe, however, is more interested in being an exhibition dancer at a local night spot, although he "moonlights" as a gangster just for the extra money and perhaps out of the habit of doing Rico's bidding. At first Rico seems content to take orders from Sam, but he is just biding his time. Once he realizes that Sam is weak he takes over his gang. Rico quickly climbs through the ranks until he is at the top of the criminal heap. Rico is interested only in power and status. To Rico, the money is important mainly as a symbol of this status. Rico has only one "soft spot" - his fondness for Joe. When he can't bring himself to shoot Joe to keep him from talking, Rico finds himself on the run and his fall is precipitous. His violent end comes when his overblown pride won't allow him to leave a local police chief's bragging to the newspapers about Rico's downfall to go unanswered. Ironically, and somewhat too coincidental to be believable, Rico is gunned down behind a sign advertising one of Joe's upcoming performances.
Strangely enough, there isn't even that much direct violence in this film and absolutely no mention of prohibition. "Little Caesar" would probably not be so well remembered if it was not for Edward G. Robinson's star-making performance. Dialogue had not yet reached a very sophisticated level at this point in talking pictures, yet Robinson artfully portrays a ruthless gangster for which power and status are everything through his gestures and expressions.
The film starts out with a distance shot of a gas station robbery in which the attendant is gunned down. You see the lights in the station go out, you hear the shots, you see the getaway car speed away. You can guess the rest. Such a scene would have not been nearly as powerful before the advent of sound and helps establish the ruthless nature of Rico. Later, Rico (Edward G. Robinson) and his partner Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) are talking in a diner. Rico has designs on heading to the big city and getting in with a gang there. His partner is only interested in this life from the financial security angle, since he actually wants to go straight. Rico, though, believes in the gangster's version of the American dream and wants to climb to the top of the gangland power structure.
Although "the big city" is never named, it seems to be Chicago from the various neighborhoods mentioned. Once there, Rico joins up with Sam Vettori's gang. Joe, however, is more interested in being an exhibition dancer at a local night spot, although he "moonlights" as a gangster just for the extra money and perhaps out of the habit of doing Rico's bidding. At first Rico seems content to take orders from Sam, but he is just biding his time. Once he realizes that Sam is weak he takes over his gang. Rico quickly climbs through the ranks until he is at the top of the criminal heap. Rico is interested only in power and status. To Rico, the money is important mainly as a symbol of this status. Rico has only one "soft spot" - his fondness for Joe. When he can't bring himself to shoot Joe to keep him from talking, Rico finds himself on the run and his fall is precipitous. His violent end comes when his overblown pride won't allow him to leave a local police chief's bragging to the newspapers about Rico's downfall to go unanswered. Ironically, and somewhat too coincidental to be believable, Rico is gunned down behind a sign advertising one of Joe's upcoming performances.
Strangely enough, there isn't even that much direct violence in this film and absolutely no mention of prohibition. "Little Caesar" would probably not be so well remembered if it was not for Edward G. Robinson's star-making performance. Dialogue had not yet reached a very sophisticated level at this point in talking pictures, yet Robinson artfully portrays a ruthless gangster for which power and status are everything through his gestures and expressions.