The defence The Big-Idea Head
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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The Roaring Twenties
Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1939
After World War I, Armistice Lloyd Hart goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.
Movie details
The Roaring Twenties
“The land of the free gone wild! The heyday of the hotcha! The shock-crammed days G-men took ten whole years to lick!”
1939 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 44m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.5 / 10
Community rating
After World War I, Armistice Lloyd Hart goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Roaring Twenties?
For the defence
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Odd Man Out
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Point Blank
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After being double-crossed and left for dead, a mysterious man named Walker single-mindedly tries to retrieve the rather inconsequential sum of money that was stolen from him.
Odds Against Tomorrow
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An old-time crook plans a heist. When one of his two partners is found out to be a black man tensions flare.
Each Dawn I Die
Crime · 1939
A corrupt D.A. with governatorial ambitions is annoyed by an investigative reporter's criticism of his criminal activities and decides to frame the reporter for manslaughter in order to silence him.
Witness to Murder
Crime · 1954
A woman fights to convince the police that she witnessed a murder while looking out her bedroom window.
The Locket
Drama · 1946
A dark personal secret drives a young woman to use every man she encounters.
Ride the Pink Horse
Drama · 1947
A con man tries to blackmail a Mexican gangster.
The Public Enemy
Crime · 1931
Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.
Plunder Road
Crime · 1957
A spectacular heist starts to unravel as the crooks take it on the lam.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Raoul Walsh
Written by
Mark Hellinger · Richard Macaulay · Jerry Wald · Robert Rossen
James Cagney
Eddie Bartlett
Priscilla Lane
Jean Sherman
Humphrey Bogart
George Hally
Gladys George
Panama Smith
Jeffrey Lynn
Lloyd Hart
Frank McHugh
Danny Green
Paul Kelly
Nick Brown
Court is in session
Put The Roaring Twenties on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.