Little Caesar

Little Caesar (1931), starring Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.,  Glenda Farrell, William Collier Jr.

Synopsis of Little Caesar

 Little Caesar is the tale of pugnacious Caesar Enrico Bandello, a hoodlum with a Chicago-sized chip on his shoulder, few attachments, fewer friends and no sense of underworld diplomacy.

Editorial review of Little Caesar

Edward G. Robinson stars in this classic gangster drama about man who ruthlessly murders his way to the top, controlling the mob as Little Caesar. Small-time, small-town hood Cesare Enrico “Rico” Bandello (Robinson) vows to rule the rackets and not be “just another mug.” With his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.), Rico moves to the city, where he uses murder–including the assassination of the police commissioner–to advance rapidly within the mob … until he attempts to take over the entire underworld.

Rico (Robinson) hears that trusted friend Joe (Fairbanks), who quit the gang to dance professionally, will rat on him to the police along with girlfriend Olga (Farrell). He confronts them with pistol drawn and Joe clings to Olga as he urges Rico to pull the trigger. A full screen close-up of Robinson’s sweaty face reveals a tortured soul who can’t bring himself to murder a pal. This act of loyalty will ultimately cost Little Caesar his life.

After a meteoric rise to the top of the crime ladder Rico falls just as quickly into poverty and obscurity. Months after his disappearance, a series of insulting newspaper comments from cop nemesis Sgt. Flaherty (Jackson) causes drunken Rico to threaten him from a flophouse pay phone. This call is traced, officers dispatched and Rico is quickly cornered behind a billboard. When he scorns Flaherty’s demands for surrender, Rico is machine-gunned down. Before expiring, we hear his famous lament to no one: “Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rico?” The camera zooms back to reveal the billboard’s ad is for a smash hit stage show starring Joe and Olga.

Cast of characters

• Edward G. Robinson (House of Strangers) … Caesar Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello / ‘Little Caesar’
• Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (The Young in Heart) … Joe Massara
• Glenda Farrell (Lady for a Day) … Olga Stassoff
• William Collier Jr. (Broadminded) … Tony Passa
• Sidney Blackmer (How to Murder Your Wife) … Big Boy
• Ralph Ince … Pete Montana
• Thomas E. Jackson (The Woman in the Window) … Sgt. Flaherty
• Stanley Fields (Island of Lost Souls) … Sam Vettori
• Maurice Black (Flying Down to Rio) … Little Arnie Lorch
• George E. Stone (The Vampire Bat) … Otero
• Armand Kaliz (Flying Down to Rio) … De Voss
• Nicholas Bela … Ritz Colonna