The Public Enemy is a 1931 Pre-Code American crime drama film starring James Cagney and directed by William A. Wellman. The movie relates the story of a young man's rise in the criminal underworld in prohibition-era urban America. The supporting players include Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, Beryl Mercer, Donald Cook, and Mae Clarke. The film was based on the novel Beer and Blood by John Bright and launched James Cagney to stardom.

Aside from the hard-hitting dramatization and social commentary, film critics and contemporary audiences alike have considered the characters among The Public Enemy’s strongest features, including Matt’s girlfriend, Mamie (Joan Blondell), Tom's girlfriends, Kitty (Mae Clarke) and Gwen (Jean Harlow), and fellow hoodlum, Putty Nose (Murray Kinnell). Many of the characters in the movie were based on actual people, although currently available copies are from the censored and cut 1949 reissue (from the Hays Code era) in which the character of real-life gangster Bugs Moran was cut out. Some very controversial items, like a scene where James Cagney hits his girlfriend with a grapefruit, were left in the re-release.

Tom's bad way of life is constantly set up against his brother Mike's, who has a job during the day and goes to night school. Mike will enroll in the Marines to fight in WWI. He will come back and will constantly try to put Tom back on the right path. Written by Natacha Godaillier

In 1909, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle are best friends and juvenile criminals. Tom's brother Mike is a correct teenager. Along the years, Tom (James Cagney) and Matt (Edward Woods) get older and ranked in criminal scale of their gang leaded by Nails Nathan (Leslie Fenton). When Nails dies in an accident, his gang becomes weaker and is attacked by other criminal groups. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Friends Tom and Matt go from small time to big time crime during prohibition. Tom tires of his mistress Kitty (he pushes a grapefruit into her face) and falls for Gwen who resists his advances except when it look as though he might dump her. When Matt is killed, Tom goes after the murderers. Written by Ed Stephan

It's one man vs. the streets.