Although the legendary crime saga ofJohn Dillingerand his high-profile bank robberies has been adapted to the big screen many times over the course of cinematic history, there wasn’t any filmmaker other thanMichael Mannwho was better suited to telling it. Mann had built his career onmaking stylized, gritty crime thrillersfocused on obsessive protagonists, andPublic Enemiesgave him the opportunity to examine the unique Prohibition era through the perspective of both the gangsters and law enforcement. AlthoughJohnny Deppdrew acclaim for his performance as Dillinger,Public Enemiesbecame an ensemble drama that explored many of the other robbers who became minor celebrities during this volatile period.Stephen Grahamgives a brilliant performance as the bank robber known as “Baby Face” Nelson, whose death scene is one of the most gripping within Mann’s entire filmography.
Who Does Stephen Graham Play in ‘Public Enemies'?
Public Enemiesexplores the cat-and-mouse game between Dillinger and the FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), who was assigned by the federal government to track down those responsible for a series of high-profile heists. The core issue that the government faced was that the public had begun to back the bank robbers, whose actions were perceived as Robin Hood-esque acts of heroism; in addition to Dillinger, other gangsters that achieved fame included Red Hamilton (Jason Clarke), Homer Van Meter (Stephen Dorff), Harry Pierpont (David Wenham), and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum). However,Nelson was a particularly dangerous criminal whose obsession with violence made him psychopathic; while some of the other members of Dillinger’s extended crime family wereinvolved in the heists for the sheer thrill of the experience, Nelson’s specific goal was to kill as many law enforcement officers as possible.
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Public Enemiesexplored the ramifications of a life of crime, as Dillinger and his allies discover that the thrill of taking part in a public ordeal is the only shot of adrenaline that they may get; a majority of their experience is spent running from the FBI, as Dillinger isn’t able to sustain his romantic relationship with his new lover, Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). Nelson’s reaction to the situation is particularly interesting, as he is such a volatile person thathe is left empty when he is not constantly in danger.Nelson has learned to be so anti-authoritarian in his perspective that he can’t accept that their task will ever be “completed;” despite the tough exterior that he has created for himself, he has chosen such an erratic profession as a means of coping with his existential anxieties. Although Graham does a great job atexamining the mental traumathat has shaped Nelson into such a belligerent character, he does not treat him with so much empathy that it would in any way make him less terrifying.
“Baby Face” Nelson Is Unique Within the ‘Public Enemies’ Rogues Gallery
Nelson’s death scene is the most pivotal moment withinPublic Enemies, as it signifies that the “fun and games” approach to the genre has evolved into amore realistic depiction of history.Although Purvis had been criticized by other members of the FBI for his methodical approach to collecting evidence, he was able tosuccessfully identify Dillinger’s location and assassinate many of his extended team.Although the death of Floyd is somewhat tragic given his relatively young age, the graphic demise of Nelson is one of the few moments in which Purvis genuinely comes across as heroic. It is evident that incarceration or incapacitation would not be able to slow down Nelson, as he posed an unwavering threat to society if he was still alive.
Graham was able to unlock the psychology of Nelson, for whom none of the rage and vitriol was ever performative; while other gangsters attempted to act more erratically for the sake of courting public attention, Nelson was given the rare arena in which he could be true to himself. Despite his capacity for mayhem, Nelson is depicted as being almost childlike in his reverence for Dillinger,which makes his death even more powerful.AlthoughPublic Enemieshas a somewhat complex legacywhen compared to the other crime films that Mann has made, Graham was able to offer a fresh perspective on a legendary historical, real-life villain.
Public Enemies
