The Public Enemy_
"All his life he took what he wanted...Why not women?"
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
Starring
James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods
Box Office
$557K
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Apple TV
26 countries
Prime Video
22 countries
G
Google Play
17 countries
YouTube
7 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Public Enemy earned $557K worldwide on a $151K budget — a 269% return on investment.
Year context
The Public Enemy was released 95 years ago in 1931.
The Public Enemy is a Crime, Drama film with a runtime of 1h 24m.
CAST (20)
James Cagney
Tom Powers
Jean Harlow
Gwen Allen
Edward Woods
Matt Doyle
Joan Blondell
Mamie
Donald Cook
Mike Powers
Leslie Fenton
Samuel 'Nails' Nathan
Beryl Mercer
Ma Powers
Robert Emmett O'Connor
Paddy Ryan
Murray Kinnell
Putty Nose
CB
Clark Burroughs
Dutch (uncredited)
Mae Clarke
Kitty (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.
Tom as a Boy (uncredited)
GD
George Daly
Machine Gunner (uncredited)
Frankie Darro
Matt as a Boy (uncredited)
Snitz Edwards
Miller (uncredited)
Rita Flynn
Molly Doyle (uncredited)
DG
Dorothy Gee
Nails' Girl (uncredited)
Douglas Gerrard
Assistant Tailor (uncredited)
DG
Dorothy Gray
Little Girl (uncredited)
Ben Hendricks Jr.
'Bugs' Moran as a Boy (uncredited)
BOX OFFICE
$151K
Budget
$557K
Revenue
+269%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
84 min (1h 24m)
Country
Rating
7.2/10 (379 votes)
Budget
$151,000
Box Office
$557,000
Profit
+$406,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Public Enemy about?
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
How long is The Public Enemy?
The Public Enemy has a runtime of 84 minutes (1h 24m).
Who stars in The Public Enemy?
The cast of The Public Enemy includes James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, Donald Cook.
How much did The Public Enemy make at the box office?
The Public Enemy earned $557,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $151,000.
What is the rating of The Public Enemy?
The Public Enemy has a rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on 379 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Crime
Drama