The early-'30s were a tumultuous time, so it's fitting that we were introduced to violent gangster flicks during that timeframe. The Public Enemy & Howard Hawks' Scarface are both better than Mervyn LeRoy's Little Caesar, but Edward G Robinson's star-making performance is just as iconic as what Cagney & Muni did in their shoot-'em-up crime movies. And this is certainly a memorable film, with the pint-sized killer mowing down anyone who gets in his way. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays the Chicago mobster's best friend and while his character isn't as fleshed out as he could be (none of them are in this 80-minute movie, really), it takes dynamic filmmaking and committed performances to make this flick effective at all. So don't you dare squeal or it could get bloody as the 588th podcast that can be found on this channel takes a Ryan-sized look at Little Caesar.

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