DVD Set Shows Gangster Greats in Off-Beat Roles

With a two-week breather between doing a moviemaking workshop for adults in mid-May and the UND Summer Moviecamp for Teens that starts next Monday (still limited space available), I not only made it out to see the new “Indiana Jones” sequel, but I’ve had time to catch up on some recent major DVD releases.

The last week of March, Warner Home Video came out with an excellent six-disc anthology of lesser-known but unjustly neglected films that deserve re-evaluation. The set is labeled “Gangsters Collection Vol. 3,” and although it showcases gangster movie superstars James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and Humphrey Bogart, not all of the films fit strictly into the gangster genre and the one that comes closest is also a heartwarming comedy.

The title billing on the slipcase seems to highlight what Warners apparently perceive as the most recognizable current public recognition value. “Black Legion” (1937) stars Humphrey Bogart, “Brother Orchid” (1940) stars Edward G. Robinson and also features Bogart. The other four are all “pre-code” (i.e., made before mid-1934 when sexual and violent innuendos were much freer) and all feature Jimmy Cagney, three as star and one supporting Robinson as the star.

It may be most instructive to watch them in chronological order, getting a strong feel for Cagney’s development as an actor and major star, as well as a better perspective on changing styles and story attitudes throughout the decade the films span. All the films move right along with the typically brisk Warner Brothers pacing, running from only 75 to 90 minutes each.

“Smart Money” (1931) stars Robinson as a small-town barber with a knack for gambling who works his way to the top of big-city organized crime, partly to avenge a swindle by a gang of professionals. It’s a somewhat lighter-hearted but still raw and energetic variation on his breakthrough role of Rico in “Little Caesar” the year before. Cagney has a relatively minor role, as his starmaking performance in 1931’s “The Public Enemy” had not yet been released.

“Picture Snatcher” (May 1933) is a still timely indictment of tabloid journalism with Cagney as an ex-con who gets a job as photographer for a sleazy newspaper, where his criminal connections help him succeed, and he even manages to romance a cop’s daughter.

The fast-paced blend of cynical comedy, action, and drama plays very well today, and is worth comparing with Billy Wilder’s later and more bitterly cynical “Ace in the Hole.”

“The Mayor of Hell” (June 1933) is an even stronger social commentary, dealing with juvenile crime. It stars Cagney as a shady election fixer who is rewarded with a token job as deputy commissioner at a boys’ reformatory.

Once there, however, the slum-raised Cagney quickly notices how the official corruption and sadistic men in charge are mistreating the boys to the point they’re turning into worse delinquents than when they entered. He decides to put into effect some reforms of his own, leading to a variety of double-crosses and an amazing melodramatic climax.

It’s a dark and powerful film, despite a few holes in the story and like “Black Legion” suggests a number of modern parallels to its Depression-era themes.

“Lady Killer” (December 1933) is both a slick gangster film and fun spoof of the movie industry. Cagney is a cocky movie theatre usher who gets fired, gets taken by some scam artists, soon takes over their racket from them, builds up a crime dynasty, has to lie low after a killing, manages to get hired as a movie extra, and rapidly works his way up to major star and respectability, only to be blackmailed by his former gang.

Amazingly, all this is crammed into an hour and a quarter running time.

“Black Legion” (1937) is another of the social commentary pictures Warner Brothers was so famous for, drawn directly from recent headlines. Even with the cautious “post-code” treatment of its violent and touchy material, the film retains a power and timeliness even today.

Bogart has one of his first starring roles as a factory worker whose resentment over being passed up for promotion draw him into a secret society dedicated to promoting “America for true Americans.”

This hate group, reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan and others, takes violent, sometimes deadly action against anyone it disapproves of, especially foreigners, immigrants, Jews, Catholics, free-thinking intellectuals, and even its own members who disobey its orders.”

Black Legion” may be the most relentlessly dramatic of the set with its vivid warning against mob mentality.
“Brother Orchid” (1940), an entertaining and decidedly more gentle story than any of the others in the set, is divided into two sections.

This comedy starts with Robinson spoofing his tough-guy image as a gang leader who wants to take his profits and leave the rackets to his underlings (led by Bogart). Unfortunately his naïve nouveau rich habits soon eat up his money and when he wants to resume his position he finds his former pals are now ruthless rivals. Wounded and on the run, the half-dead Robinson finds refuge at a monastery, where he decides to hide out after his recovery, gradually becomes attracted to the monks’ austere yet selfless way of life, but isn’t above using his gangster habits for a good cause.

With very good to excellent video transfers, the six films are all great fun on their own, yet these DVDs all include an amazing array of bonus features to enhance both their entertainment and educational value.

Each movie has a commentary track by major film historians. Each disc includes several short films from about the same time the feature was released, including a brief newsreel, a musical or comedy, a cartoon, and one or more trailers. Best of all, these can be watched individually or played as a continuous “night at the movies” followed by the feature, as might have been seen in a theatre of the era.

The Warner Brothers “Gangsters Collection Vol. 3” is a great value at its $60 list price, and is generally available for an even more attractive $42 to $50 at most places.