Tonight in Chicago hundreds will gather at the Biograph theater to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of John Dillinger’s execution. Chances are there would be a lot more if the film Public Enemies didn’t...well, much like the Grinch, stink, stank, stunk. In addition to the story itself, below are a few of the problems I had...
Spoiler alert
Why did they bother having Homer Van Meter and Harry “Pete” Pierpont, and could anyone tell the difference between the two?
Who was the guy in the car with Van Meter and Nelson after the escape from Little Bohemia who got killed when it crashed? Speaking of Nelson what was the direction for that actor, “Do the stereotypical psychotic Nelson, just turn it up a notch.”
Did we really need the whole Frank Nitti Chicago mob angle?
I can appreciate using actual dialog but only when it furthers the story otherwise it falls flat. Historical accuracy already went out the window when you had Floyd killed early on so why bother with the whole Crown Point courtroom seen. It was pointless, also the actor playing Piquett?? What was his direction, “Ok take what was originally a P.T. Barnum/ Patrick Henry courtroom performance and do it like an aluminum siding salesman” Same with Depp after the break out, I may be wrong but I suspect when the real Dillinger was singing “the last round up” it didn’t sound like a funeral dirge.
Ok, that’s enough complaining. On a positive note I did like the guns. I thought they seemed very authentic, although I’ve never seen or heard an actual BAR or Thompson machinegun fired, I suspect that’s what they would have sounded like. Although the character was extraneous, the guy who played Karpis was good.
"He must have done something. They don't kill you for nothing." - Chicago Gangster Ted Newberry. Rubbed out January 7, 1933
