'G' Men (1935)

Director:

William Keighley

Writer:

Seton I. Miller (writer)

Release Date:

4 May 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Hollywood's Most Famous Bad Man Joins the "G-MEN" and Halts the March of Crime!

Plot:

It's the early days of the F.B.I. - federal agents working for the Department of Justice. Though they've got limited powers...

Plot Keywords:

Betrayal | Washington D.C. | Revenge | Murder | Singer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

James Cagney	...	'Brick' Davis
Margaret Lindsay	...	Kay McCord
Ann Dvorak	...	Jean Morgan
Robert Armstrong	...	Jeff McCord
Barton MacLane	...	Collins
Lloyd Nolan	...	Hugh Farrell
William Harrigan	...	'Mac' McKay, aka Joseph Lynch
Russell Hopton	...	Gerard
Edward Pawley	...	Danny Leggett
Noel Madison	...	Durfee
Monte Blue	...	Fingerprint Expert
Regis Toomey	...	Edward 'Eddie' Buchanan
Addison Richards	...	Bruce J. Gregory
Harold Huber	...	Venke
Raymond Hatton	...	Gangsters' Messenger with Warning

Also Known As:

G'Men (USA) (alternative spelling)
G-Men (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | Norway:16 (1936) | USA:Approved (PCA #745)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Two of the prominent action scenes in the film were based on real events. The rail station shoot-out in which gangsters free Danny Leggett, was based upon the famous "Kansas City Massacre" in which gunmen attacked FBI agents and policemen as they were transporting federal prisoner Frank "Jelly" Nash on June 17th, 1933. In real life, one agent, three policemen and Nash himself were killed. As shown in the film, this was incident that increased the power of the FBI and turned into the agency it is today. The other incident was the shoot-out at the lodge. That was based on a battle between FBI agents and the John Dillinger Gang (which included "Baby Face" Nelson) on April 22, 1934.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Robert Armstrong is riding in a car driven by a uniformed policeman towards the end of the movie, a crewman is reflected off the small passenger window. He shows up in three scenes and may be rocking the car to simulate a bumpy road.

Quotes:

James 'Brick' Davis: I'm leaving tomorrow morning. That puts me on the other side of the fence than you, Mac.
'Mac' McKay, aka Joseph Lynch: That's where you ought to be.
James 'Brick' Davis: Yes, but they're out to get you. You and everybody else in your racket. And if they assign me to go after you, I've got to use everything I know about you.
'Mac' McKay, aka Joseph Lynch: You've got to play ball with them, Brick. Go to it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Agatha Christie: Poirot: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat (#2.7)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

Go Into Your Dance

Margaret Livingston, I Presume!

"G-Men" is one of the best of Warner Brothers gangster films. It casts James Cagney, known at that time for his gangster roles, on the right side of the law for a change.

Lawyer "Brick" Davis (Cagney) is a well educated lawyer with no clients. He is visited one day by an old friend Eddie Buchanan (Regis Toomey) who encourages Brick to join the Department of Justice Bureau of Investigation (soon to be named the Federal Bureau of Investigation).

When Eddie is murdered by gangster Collins (Barton MacLane), Brick decides to apply to the Department of Justice. It should be noted that in the FBI's early days they could only engage lawyers and accountants and were not permitted to carry firearms. Brick is assigned to tough laconic Jeff McCord (Robert Armstrong) who is of the opinion that Brick will never make an effective agent.

McCord and Bureau Director Bruce Gregory (Addison Richards) both believe that to be effective, the bureau needs to have national jurisdiction, be allowed to carry weapons and hire law enforcers and not lawyers.

As it turns out Brick was rescued from the street by gangster Mac McKay (William Harrigan) who took him in and provided him with his education. Brick soon demonstrates his capabilities and quickly gains the confidence of his superiors. Along the way he meets McCord's sister Kay (Margaret Lindsay) and the two fall in love. Bad girl Jean Morgan (Ann Dvorak) also has this thing for Brick.

When Collins' gang disappears, Jean is brought in for questioning and we learn that she has married Collins after Mac closed his night club. She gives Brick the lead he needs and the Bureau takes action. Collins escapes the Bureau's attack on his gang and.....................

Director William Keighley gives us one of the classic gangster movies. It changes the focus on the hero from a gangster to a law enforcement officer, but at the same time offers one of the best shoot outs of the genre.

Cagney loses nothing in his switch from the wrong to the right side of the law. He remains his usual cocky fast talking self. Armstrong in a role that usually was played by Pat O'Brien, is effective as McCord. Of the female leads, Dvorak has the best role. Lindsay is merely around as Cagney's good girl love interest. MacLane, Warners resident gangster, turns in his usual good performance as the brutish Collins.

Others in the cast include Lloyd Nolan in an early role as Brick's fellow agent, and Edward Pawley, Noel Madison, Harold Huber and Raymond Hatton as assorted gangsters.

In 1949, the film was re-released to help mark the FBI's 25th anniversary. A prologue featuring David Brian showing the film to a group of new recruits was added.

A word about the DVD commentary by film historian Richard Jewell. For someone who should know better, he makes two glaring errors regarding the cast. He identifies David Brian as Brian David and Margaret Lindsay as Margaret Livingston. I wouldn't have been surprised to have heard him call Cagney, James Pygmy or MacLane, Barton Fink. A little more thorough research Mr. Jewell.