January 16 . . .
By and large, a dark day in American history. On this day in 1920, Prohibition was declared and officially became the law of the land. Overnight, alcohol became an illegal substance, the country went dry, and otherwise law-abiding citizens became felons, choosing to risk jail by frequenting speakeasies. It was the Golden Age of bootleggers and gangsters, and no studio of the time reflected the time with more panache and energy than the newly-formed Warner Brothers.
No gangster flick of the 30s prohibition era shot up the house like ‘The Roaring Twenties’ (1939). James Cagney, then at the height of his career as antsy screen tough guy, stars as one of 3 World War I soldiers returning home to New York, only to find rampant poverty and unemployment. Cagney finds himself reluctantly drawn into bootlegging by his ruthless friend, played by Humphrey Bogart (who always seemed to get the short end of a .38 in his co-starring roles with Cagney.) One of the greatest gangster flicks of all time, ably directed by a master, Raoul Walsh. Almost makes you nostalgic for the good ol’ days of Prohibition. Almost, but not quite.
Click here to watch the original trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQQ5uA5fob8
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