The Beast of the City
1932 · Movie · NR · 86 min · ★ 5.9 · 61% critics
A hard-driving police chief vows to bring down a powerful gangster, but the case hits obstacles at every turn. When his younger detective brother is assigned to keep an eye on a woman tied to the underworld, temptation and corruption pull the investigation off course and strain loyalties inside the force.
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Details
- Years
- 1932
- Release date
- 1932-02-13
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 86 min
- Critic score
- 61/100
- TMDB rating
- 5.9/10 (27 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a tough, law-focused gangster story with sleazy pre-Code energy, moral gray areas, and bursts of violence; Not for you if you dislike dated attitudes or implausible climaxes like some viewers note in Little Caesar.
Pros: gritty pre-Code edge; strong lead performances; fast-moving crime plot | Cons: clunky courtroom stretch; uneven tone; ending feels silly
Themes
- gangster
- police chief
- organized crime
- brother against brother
- pre-code
- police shootout
- vigilantism
- armored van robbery
- corrupt cop
- gang moll
- everyone dies
Cast & crew
Walter Huston
as Captain James "Jim" Fitzpatrick aka Fighting Fitz
Jean Harlow
as Daisy Stevens aka Mildred Beaumont
Wallace Ford
as Detective Ed Fitzpatrick
Jean Hersholt
as Samuel "Sam" Belmonte
Dorothy Peterson
as Mary Fitzpatrick
Tully Marshall
as Defence Attorney Michaels
Emmett Corrigan
as Chief of Police "Burt" Burton
Warner Richmond
as Detective Tom
- SR
Sandy Roth
as Lieutenant John "Mac" Majkowski
J. Carrol Naish
as Pietro Cholo
Directed by Charles Brabin