Bullets or Ballots (1936)

[drinkanddestroy]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027407/

Bullets or Ballots (1936) 6/10

Plot synopsis: When Police Detective Johnny Blake (Edward G. Robinson) gets in trouble and is kicked off the force, he gets a job with his friend, gangster Al Kruger (Barton MacLane) who heads the local racket. Kruger's #2 man, Bugs Fenner (Humphrey Bogart), is convinced that Blake cannot be trusted.

Cast, courtesy of imdb

Edward G. Robinson    ...    Johnny Blake
Joan Blondell    ...    Lee Morgan
Barton MacLane    ...    Al Kruger
Humphrey Bogart    ...    'Bugs' Fenner
 Frank McHugh    ...    Herman
Joe King    ...    Capt. Dan McLaren (as Joseph King)
 Purcell    ...    Ed Driscoll (as Richard Purcell)
George E. Stone    ...    Wires Kagel
Joseph Crehan    ...    Grand Jury Spokesman
Henry O'Neill    ...    Ward Bryant
Henry Kolker    ...    Mr. Hollister
Gilbert Emery    ...    Mr. Thorndyke
Herbert Rawlinson    ...    Mr. Caldwell
 Louise Beavers    ...    Nellie LaFleur
Norman Willis    ...    Louie Vinci


This is one of the weaker WB Gangster films.

This is much more overtly preachy -- as you can tell from the title -- than the ones from earlier in the decade, like The Public Enemy and Little Caesar. Some of the commentators said they believe that now that the Production Code was being enforced, the gangster films couldn't just be the fun shoot em ups of earlier in the decade.