warn spoiler represent this review be from the point of view of one who would rather we live in a world without mafia and organize crime and and gang . from the perspective of crime itself and i can almost admire the cat burgler and the bank robber and or even the pickpocket and whereas i find organized crime to be vile and albeit efficient . regard violence itself and i much prefer the old style and manly way of settle score such a showdown and brawl and and duel instead of use of hit men and goon and and sub machine gun and which may keep the head alive and but which reduce the heart . in this vein and i find a great poignancy within the usual discomfort i have when view gangster film . tom assertion towards his end and i ain not so tough and and his hospital apology to his family and show me that the filmmaker understand this unmanliness and and that organize crime be about greed and cowardice more than necessity and triumph of will . mike lecture to tom concern tom lack of heart and brain also give pause and so that ( if you agree with the filmmaker ) one can define very simply the typical gangster action . and there be little in the annals of true life mafia activity and whether italian and korean and chinese and negro and or what have you and which overthrow this . in all honesty and i find james cagney character to be over the top and in the usual hollywood fashion ( other example represent joe pesci and james caan ) and and his mobster action be predictable and for the most part . this jibed well with my disgusted side . on the other hand and glasmon and bright ( the writer ) explore some complicate issue which touch me greatly . this may be due to bright first hand experience with gangster . first and tom purity while in a relationship with gwen ( jean harlow ) . this adult content surprise me and especially for a 1931 action movie and and one of the first talkie . when jane ( mia marvin ) seduce a drunken tom and their morning after become not only a surprising slap in the face for all concern ( include the viewer ) and but also set up the motivation for matt ( edward doyle ) demise . second and tom relationship with his brother be very provocative . there be the usual macho posturing of right vs. wrong and but there be also undercurrent of gray area . who be bad represent tom and for bootlegging and or mike for petty embezzlement . tom and for be an enforcer and or mike and for indiscriminate killing during wartime . naturally and the case can be make that mike heroic pave the way for the free country which tom enjoys and but this be never explore and merely leave to conjecture . quite please and from both a cinematic and literary standpoint . the content of this counterpoint be present but not overbear . third and there be the possibility that tom be sexually orient in two way . i be not in any way try to foist such opinion on anyone and but it seem to me that putty nose ( murray kinnell ) butt be awfully close to tom face during the pool room scene early in the movie . also and why be tom not the marrying kind and why do he harbor such obvious distaste for most woman . it certainly not due to his sweet mother and or benign sister in law . i be not for these type of reference or innuendo and but i merely point it out a possible . fourth be the sear commentary on prohibition itself and and how it be that a combination of governmental and temperance force allow opportunity to knock for those with little conscience ( even if paddy { robert emmett oconnor } be make to be an honorable man here ) . these and however and be side issue to the film . the action itself be bearable and fluid . the making of the small time hustler into sweeping gangster be not fully explore and but merely assume and and then there be an alternate mega and micro look into that crooked world . we see glimpse of thievery and crooked business deal and strong arm protection and racketeering and cold blood murder and and revenge . then and we be privy to the inner working of mob mentality and the unbreakable friendship and the gun moll and the hideout . little attention be pay here to law enforcement and and the regular joe and the medium be fashion to be in sympathy with the mob and a likely by product of the wetness which rumrunner bring to those otherwise dry time . all in all and i enjoy this movie and with it many message and visuals and and vignette . cagney be a great actor and although this be not his pivotal work . harlow be sultry in a minor role . wood be extremely likable a tom compatriot . joan blondell bring some of her bubbliness to these drab surroundings . donald cook be wonderfully old school in his eye roll part . beryl mercer a ma power also evoke some surprisingly good emoting . overall and i think you will enjoy this .