The Last Gangster (1937)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Made at MGM but starring a Warner Brothers icon, and this strange gangster pic has ample ingredients reeking of both studios. Edward G. Robinson, clanking on all cylinders, is a Capone-like capo who gets rich during Prohibition, is sent up the river for a decade, and becomes obsessed with the little boy his wife (Rose Stradner, unknown to me and quite interesting) bore. She's an immigrant and utterly, somewhat implausibly unaware of her husband's dirty business, but she gets educated by a newspaperman (James Stewart, not very compelling here, except for an uncharacteristic Cesar Romero mustache) who falls in love with and eventually marries her. The Warners influence is evident not just in Robinson's snarling and grimacing but in the stepped-up violence, quicker-than-usual editing, and hilariously overblown musical score, by Edward Ward. But the ideal home life of Stewart, Stradner, and their adorable little boy, complete with suburban trimmings and Louise Beavers doing maid things, are utterly MGM. There's some excitement, and a good supporting cast, notably Lionel Stander as Robinson's henchman, but it's all kind of predictable. And when you want it to settle down, another Edward Ward blast assaults the senses. But what's really interesting, and still timely, is how Robinson's character, Joe Krozac, is self-centered, not as smart as he thinks he is, used to getting his own way, outraged when he doesn't... he's Donald Trump!

This 1937 film gave me a big surprise with the great acting of Edward G. Robinson, (Joe Krozac) who plays the role as a big time gangster who is a hard cold killer and will not let anyone get in his way in order to get just what he wants. However, Joe Krozac gets himself in trouble just like Al Capone with falling behind in his income tax and is sent to Alcatraz prison for ten years on the "Rock". Joe Krozac is married to a woman named Talya Krozac, (Rose Stradner) who is a foreign lady who does not understand English very well, but she loves Joe and gives him a baby boy just as Joe goes into Alcatraz. A man named Paul North, Sr., (James Stewart) who is a newspaper reporter who becomes involved with Talya while Joe Krozac is in prison and they both get married and raise Joe Krozac's young son. This story has many twists and turns and it has many surprises which you will never be able to figure out unless you view this film. Enjoy.

With "The Last Gangster", I was expecting more in the tradition of Cagney's "Public Enemy" or his much later "White Heat", or something along the lines of Edward G. Robinson's own early contribution to the gangster genre, 1931's "Little Caesar". The early going seems to be heading in that direction, until Joe Krozac (Robinson) is arrested for income tax evasion. With a young pregnant wife knowing nothing of his criminal past, Joe's appeals run out and he finds himself with a band of less than sympathetic convicts heading for an unknown destination - Alcatraz. There he comes to understand that his status as a Napoleon of the crime world carries no weight at all. Robinson brings a fairly wide range of emotions to his portrayal, particularly in the callous disregard for his wife's situation, giving all the attention to his newborn son during Talya's (Rose Stradner) prison visits.When Krozac's final appeal is denied, the prospect of ten years of prison suddenly carry an intolerable weight, both for Joe and Talya. Talya moves away with her son Joey, changes their names, and winds up marrying a sympathetic newspaper reporter (James Stewart) who earlier wrote an unflattering story with the headline "Public Enemy Jr. Toys With Gun". When we hear young Joey/Paul say "Good night Daddy" to his new father, we know there's no turning back for Krozac's family aspirations.It's when Joe's prison stretch is completed that the movie heads into unrealistic territory. His former gang welcomes him back only long enough to work him over for the money they feel they're owed for ten years of loyalty. When that doesn't work, they kidnap Joe's son, appealing to his fatherly instinct to give in to their demands. So far, so good. But once Joe leads the gang to his stash, they simply let him and the boy go! Had they never heard of REVENGE? In what turns out to be an extended camping trip on their way back to Joey's home, Krozac learns about his son's new life. The confrontation with Talya and Paul North never plays out, and Krozac leaves with his tail between his legs, until confronted by a surviving member of a brother gang that Krozac had rubbed out years ago. Acey Kile proves to be entirely inept as a rubout artist; after pumping two bullets into Krozac, Joe wrestles the gun away from him and shoots him in return! Fatally wounded, the film zeroes in on the fallen Krozac's outstretched hand clutching a memento from his son, a badge for "An Outstanding Achievement".I like Edward G. Robinson, his crime films helped establish a genre for himself and contemporaries Jimmy Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. As mentioned earlier, this movie allows him to show off his range as an actor better than most of the dozen or so movies of his I've seen. But for that classic sneering braggadocio and "What's with you, wise guy?" sarcasm, get your hands on "Key Largo", where his portrayal of mobster Johnny Rocco is a real treat. And for a truly offbeat characterization, try "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse", not one of his better regarded films, but a blast nevertheless.

This is one of Edward G. Robinson's best performances. He played the gangster with the expired use by date in a number of movies, most notably in "Key Largo", but here he takes the character on a fascinating journey. He starts as a newly-wed little Napoleon, is crushed by his conviction on tax evasion, degraded through ten years of prison, and tortured to near death by his former gang when released. Through all this he is motivated by a great love for a son he has never met - when he does meet him finally his tender side is released.What a challenging role this is - and how brilliantly Robinson rises to the challenge. At times you'll hate him, but he is always so vividly real that it is impossible not to empathise. Less effective is Rose Stradner as his wife - she too often slips into melodrama. It is perhaps not surprising to learn that she only made one other film. How fabulous Luise Rainer would have been in this role. The rest of the cast is terrific - that great Warner Bros store of thugs and villains - with Lionel Stander and John Carradine particular stand-outs.And a pre-star James Stewart is the good guy - he even has a Clark Gable moustache in some scenes (the studio never let him grow that again!). The little boy is very icky - seems more English than American and is far too boy scouty to be appealing.But add to all this strong direction, a good script, and stunning camera-work and you have a minor masterpiece. The torture scene is really very harrowing and the passage of time in prison montage is excellent - and you've got to love the opening credits.