Rico suave

The gangster film became a sturdy and stirring subgenre starting in the early 1930s, thanks in large part to the success of Little Caesar (1931), directed by Mervyn LeRoy and based on W.R. Burnett’s 1929 novel. The plot follows Caesar Enrico "Rico" Bandello, a small-time criminal whose ruthless ambition propels him to the top of the underworld. Played with intensity by Edward G. Robinson, Rico embodies the archetypal gangster, willing to betray or kill to maintain power. However, his obsession with control and fame ultimately leads to his downfall, as law enforcement and betrayal from within his ranks close in on him.

Robinson’s star-making portrayal of Rico set the standard for the morally complex antihero, and the film captured societal anxieties of the Great Depression era. Its unflinching depiction of crime and violence came before the Hays Code imposed stricter censorship, making it a pivotal work in early Hollywood.

To listen to a recording of our CineVerse group discussion of Little Caesar, conducted last week, click here.

Unfortunately, this film hasn’t aged well due to banal direction, mediocre acting from everyone but the lead, and a threadbare yarn that’s easy to predict. This was an early example of a talkie, during the transition from silent to sound, and the end product suffers because LeRoy and his collaborators play matters cautiously, as this was an experimental era where filmmakers needed to find their footing technically and narratively. Nevertheless, Robinson shines in this role, elevating an otherwise dull crime drama to a curious character study.

“Little Caesar endures because of Robinson, not so much because he’s tough but because he’s got a Napoleon-sized ego and a schoolboy’s smile when things are going his way. He enjoys living like a rich pig so much, we’ve got to mourn his loss when he’s sent back to the gutter,” wrote Slant Magazine reviewer Jeremiah Kipp.

Ironically, despite being made during the pre-code era when filmmakers weren’t yet restricted from depicting more extreme violence, sexuality, and adult situations, Little Caesar doesn’t fully exploit these elements or push the envelope as contemporaries The Public Enemy (released the same year) or Scarface (1932) did. Instead, it feels more like a movie made under the watchful eye of Hollywood censors due to its Biblical title card preachiness up front: “For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

Robinson’s Rico Bandello, loosely based on Al Capone, set the mold for many forthcoming ruthless gangster sociopath personalities in cinema. Rico, and by extension Robinson, introduced traits that defined the genre: an ambitious and ruthless drive for power, a mix of charm and menace, and an obsession with control that alienates allies. Rico’s layered personality—confident yet insecure, commanding yet vulnerable—made him both compelling and tragic, establishing the archetype of the gangster who rises to power but ultimately falls due to hubris and isolation. His sharp style, iconic mannerisms, and dramatic downfall influenced generations of cinematic gangsters, from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana.

DVD Savant critic Glenn Erickson wrote: “Little Caesar establishes the template for every urban gangland bio to come. Punk hoodlum Rico has ambition and drive but little judgment. He fastidiously refuses to drink but cannot resist the temptation of power. Whether it be taking over his little gang or hurrying to rub out a squealer, all of Rico's moves have an impatient, urgent quality that accelerates the story tempo far faster than the typical talkie of the day.”

The film can be properly credited for setting in motion many of the traits of early gangster pictures, from armed robberies, fights for power, and internal backstabbing to drive-by killings, the closing in of the long arm of the law, and the rise and fall of the overly-ambitious.

Little Caesar is historically and culturally significant also because, while it wasn’t the first gangster film (D.W. Griffith’s The Musketeers of Pig Alley from 1912, and Lights of New York from 1928, preceded it), it’s regarded as the first early sound film to delve into the lives of underworld figures beyond the confines of prison. It also established the trope that tough guy mafioso characters chomp on cigars.

Curiously, this film is notable for suggesting a homosexual attraction between Rico and Joe. Interestingly, Rico isn’t shown expressing interest in any female character romantically, and expresses a jealous outrage when Joe mentions his love for Olga. Joe personifies classic heteronormative qualities and a more sophisticated mindset, coupled with a talent for dancing, that have us question what he gets out of his relationship with Rico.

Thematically, Little Caesar continues to serve as an obvious “pride goeth before the fall” warning, and a Hollywood-ized examination of the consequences of ruthless ambition coupled with untethered arrogance. In the 21st Century, it’s also inadvertently coded in toxic masculinity tropes that remind us how far we’ve progressed socioculturally—to some extent, anyway. Additionally, there’s a lesser “practice what you preach” message afoot; recall that Rico’s decision to spare his friend Joe clashes with his ethos to wipe out his enemies without remorse. Earlier, we hear him tell Joe “This game ain’t for sissies.” Perhaps this hypocrisy proves to be Rico’s ultimate undoing.

Similar works

• Scarface
• The Public Enemy
• Other films in the first cycle of gangster pictures, including Doorway to Hell, Smart Money, The Hatchet Man, The Beast of the City, and The Secret Six

Other works by Mervyn LeRoy

• I Am A Fugitive From a Chain Gang
• Quo Vadis?
• Mister Roberts
• The Bad Seed
• Gypsy