Description
Book SynopsisWhile the gangster film may have enjoyed its heyday in the 1930s and '40s, it has remained a movie staple for almost as long as cinema has existed. From the early films of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson to modern versions like Bugsy, Public Enemies, and Gangster Squad, such films capture the brutality of mobs and their leaders.In Gangsters and G-Men on Screen: Crime Cinema Then and Now, Gene D. Phillips revisits some of the most popular and iconic representations of the genre. While this volume offers new perspectives on some established classicsusual suspects like Little Caesar, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Godfather Part IIPhillips also calls attention to some of the unheralded but no less worthy films and filmmakers that represent the genre. Expanding the viewer's notion of what constitutes a gangster film, Phillips offers such unusual choices as You Only Live Once, Key Largo, The Lady from Shanghai, and even the 1949 version of The Great Gatsby. Also included in
Trade ReviewHere’s a broad-ranging survey of movies about gangsters and government agents (G-men), starting with the first, D. W. Griffith’s The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912), and ending with recent offerings like Public Enemies and Gangster Squad. There are, of course, many well-known movies here—Little Caesar, the original Scarface, Bonnie and Clyde, The Untouchables, The Godfather—but the author also introduces us to a lot of films and facts that are likely to be unfamiliar. For example, did you know that the first true 'talkie' wasn’t 1927’s The Jazz Singer, which only had one scene with audible dialogue, but rather Lights of New York, a 1928 gangster movie? Did you know that one of the most controversial gangster pics of the late 1940s bore the sweetly delicate title of No Orchids for Miss Blandish? Whether you’re a longtime fan of gangster films or relatively new to the genre, this comprehensive and very enjoyable book has something for you. * Booklist *
Phillips analyzes 24 gangster films from the silent era to Gangster Squad (2013), showing how and why the style of these films changed. He focuses on the development of the films from their first conception or source to the ultimate film, and he details the early struggles in bringing some crime films to the public due to opposition from film industry censors and regional censors. In addition, he notes changes in the scripts and comments on directors, producers, and actors. He also looks at the critical reception given to the films. Phillips's revealing observations about films and actors were in part gathered from interviews with famous directors—e.g., John Huston, Martin Scorsese, and Fritz Lang, to cite just three. . . .Phillips’s prose is readable, and the scholarly apparatus is ample. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, general readers. * CHOICE *
Gangsters and G-Men on Screen is a brief anthology of some of the major gangster movies, together with a short plot synopsis and...extra information on production, original story, shooting location and directors. . . .For newcomers to the genre...it is a good introduction. * Popcultureshelf.com *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: The Rise of the Gangster Film Chapter 2: Little Caesar and The Public Enemy Chapter 3: The Story of Temple Drake and No Orchids for Miss Blandish Chapter 4: Dead End and This Gun for Hire Chapter 5: Criss Cross and White Heat Chapter 6: John Huston’s Key Largo and The Asphalt Jungle Chapter 7: The Lady from Shanghai and The Great Gatsby Chapter 8: Fritz Lang’s You Only Live Once and The Big Heat Chapter 9: The Godfather, Part II Chapter 10: Bonnie and Clyde and The Untouchables Chapter 11: The Grifters and The Departed Chapter 12: Dillinger and Public Enemies Afterword: Gangster Squad (2013) and Other Films Bibliography Index About the Author
