early in the movie and cagney johnny cave character tell his gumshoe in the office of weight and measure that in the previous year and unscrupulous shop owner have cheat the american consumer out of more money than the aggregate national war debt . then he go out and ticket a particularly greasy green grocer for short selling him a bag of sugar that be four ounce off ( oh and the horror . ) and one skinny chicken that his butcher scale have rather generously proclaim to be six lbs . and after which the fur or in this case feather fly . er and fly . when a racketeer in politician clothing attempt to derail an investigation into the paltry poultry purveyor practice and our hero become a lone wolf wag the war of the weight on behalf of housewife across america . after all and four cent here and a quarter there add up and before we know it we have anarchy . word of his intransigence soon reach both the mayor and the governor office and and cagney become a marked man . if it sound silly and it not the dishonest retailing practice be only a plot tool ( or a hitchcock would say and the mcguffin ) and while unfamiliar and it work every bit as well here a any treasury agent or g man anthology in which the fight be take to shady crook who be operate outside the interest of the country common good . the production standard be decidedly grade b and but it be cagney who make this movie the delight that it be represent this be his first film away from warner brother after seek release in court from his unreasonable contract and and he seem to be at ease and enjoy himself tremendously the performance turn in here be intelligent and crackle with his unique energy and surefire charisma . mae clarke presence lend a definite warner feel to the overall production . the support player turn in solid performance and the story move along smartly after a rocky introduction that seem to begin three or four reel into the story but sit back and enjoy it for the cagney showcase and engage depression era time capsule that it be .