Public Enemies: Stays True To John Dillinger's Story

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Recommended: Reflection of history in cinema

Public Enemies is a 2009 film about notorious mobster, John Dillinger’s life and times. The film was directed by Michael Mann and starred Johnny Depp as John Dillinger and Christian Bale as Melvin Purpose, the FBI’s founding agent. John Dillinger was the twentieth century’s most infamous gangsters. He was popular during the great depression because he was a current day Robin Hood. This was looked up to in a time when the government and banks were the two evil forces. During his short life Dillinger robbed countless banks and killed an estimated seventeen men. (http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/famcases/dillinger/dillinger.htm) Public Enemies is a factual chronicle of John Dillinger’s life; his breakout, 1933 and ’34 crime spree, and his death make it the most accurate gangster movies to date.

John Dillinger’s escapes the Indiana State Penitentiary stays true to the event that created his infamy. John Dillinger was initially imprisoned for robbing his hometown grocer. The fifty dollar burglary was Dillinger’s first major crime and was committed with the local loan shark, Ed Singleton. Singleton denied association and was eventually given a two-year sentence. Dillinger’s father advised him to confess and he was given a twenty year combined sentence. The prison break shown in the film is true. Dillinger was paroled after serving eight and a half years of his original sentence. Immediately after his release he robbed an Ohio bank and was incarcerated. Police found plans, while frisking him, for a large scale, armed break out. The next day Dillinger’s eight closest criminal counterparts escaped prison. Some escapees came to the Lima Jail to help Dillinger escape and easily succeeded. The Dillinger revealed in the mo...

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...s a prostitute associated with Dillinger. The FBI threatened to deport her if she did not help the police. Anna informed the police she was going to the theater with her friend and Dillinger the next day. After seeing Manhattan Melodrama at the Biograph Theater Dillinger was fatally shot three times by waiting FBI agents. Dillinger’s reign was ended with three pulls of the trigger. (http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/famcases/dillinger/dillinger.htm)

Public Enemies stays true to John Dillinger’s story and still allows for Hollywood effects and dramatizations without detracting from the original story. The film’s historical accuracy partnered with top-notch acting which is something not seen in most accurate movies. The view of Great Depression Era United States allows the audience to feel like they are part of the actions unfolding on-screen.

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