Bullets or Ballots (1936)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Seton I. Miller (screenplay)
Martin Mooney (story) ...

Release Date:

6 June 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

WHO Rules The Rackets ? This picture puts the finger on the political higher-ups!

Plot:

After Police Captain Dan McLaren becomes police commissioner former detective Johnny Blake knocks him...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Main Character Dies | Beautiful Woman | Source Music | Reformer

Cast

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

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #2155)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

This film was made as part of Warner Bros.' response to the Production Code Administration and the Legion of Decency, which had condemned the studio's previous gangster movies with Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney as glorifying the criminal life. In response, Warners had both actors make crime movies with their characters on the right side of the law, with Cagney playing an FBI agent in "G-Men" and Robinson playing an undercover cop here.

Goofs:

Continuity: When "Bugs" Fenner enters the hotel and shoots Johnny Blake, he is seen firing a .45 Automatic. However, after Blake guns Fenner down and passes his corpse on the stairwell, the camera pans down to Fenner and there is a .38 Revolver in his hand.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Lady In Red

Very decent crime drama

Let's face it, you really can't go wrong when you have guys like Cagney, Bogart and Robinson doing their thing. In "Bullets or Ballots," Edward G. and Bogie are on opposite sides and pretty much hate each other throughout the whole picture.

Edward G. plays an undercover cop looking to break up the crime syndicate, of which an old buddy he once busted is the top guy. Here's where a little bit of conflict comes in. Even though we are supposed to cheer for the cops over the gangsters, it's hard to get around that the head gangster seems to actually care about Robinson's character, and trusts him a lot, enough to keep on him about joining the gang despite that he's an ex-cop, until Robinson finally does. I can't help but feel a bit of dislike toward Robinson's character for accepting his friend's proposal, while actually looking to cut him down and send him to prison.

Bogie is great, and can see right through Edward G. but can't do anything about it. It all comes down to a wild climax.

Bullets or Ballots is definitely a good old time Warner Brothers flick, even though when these guys play the heavies it's always a lot better.