THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931)

James Cagney plays a young buck who makes it big as a muscleman for a powerful Prohibition-era gangster.  His brother doesn't approve and his mother is in denial, but Cagney doesn't give a fuck cause all he wants is power, money and broads.

THE PUBLIC ENEMY has not aged well.  When it first came out in 1931 it was quite a shocker and made a ton of dough for Warner Bros., but watching now it just comes across as extremely dated.  The biggest problem is the slow pacing and the way the story is told.  Something about it seems out of wack.  It probably has to do with THE PUBLIC ENEMY being a semi-early talkie and a lot of the actors were quite new to the business.  Jean Harlow, who I usually love, was especially horrible.  She's fantastic in stuff like LIBELED LADY and DINNER AT EIGHT, but here she's very stiff and her line delivery was laughable.

From a film history point of view THE PUBLIC ENEMY is very much worth studying, but from just a entertainment standpoint I think most modern audiences should stay away.  If you need me, I'll be in my room watching WHITE HEAT.

THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979)

A three person news crew (reporter Jane Fonda, cameraman Michael Douglas and a sound dude) are doing a puff piece on energy and taking a tour of a nuclear power plant outside of Los Angles.  While in the control room area, they observe (and secretly film) a near meltdown.  When the people who own the plant find out about the recording, they'll do anything they can to suppress it.  Even murder.  Goddamn!  Added to this already intense situation, during the near meltdown, supervisor Jack Lemmon felt a slight vibration that nobody else felt and he thinks that the main pump is in danger of a catastrophic failure.  His bosses think differently and want the plant put back online as soon as possible.

I have no idea how realistic THE CHINA SYNDROME is, but I thought the story was great and I was especially moved by Jack Lemmon's performance.  He was so intense that at times you almost forget you're watching a movie.  The near meltdown scene was awesome.  I do wish the ending had been different and maybe a little more substantial, but aside from that I was on the edge of my seat a few times.

Strong supporting cast, quick pace, pure 70's opening credits, nice photography, no musical score and no need for it, Michael Douglas with a beard, pre-JURASSIC PARK cup vibration, lots of vintage automobiles, cool duck lamp, naturalistic direction and another home run performance by Jack Lemmon.  Recommened for sure. Maybe even double-feature it with HBO's "Chernobyl". I'd watch this first though.