The Public Enemy

1h 24m · 1931 · Directed by William A. Wellman · 3.7 / 5 on Letterboxd

The Public Enemy (1931) runs 1h 24m, directed by William A. Wellman. It is one of 3,647 films in the 100 Minute Movies catalog — every one rated 3.0 or higher by Letterboxd members and short enough to finish in an evening.

Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.

Genres: Drama, Crime

No US streaming listed when we last checked (9 July 2026). Availability changes often.