Movie

The Public Enemy

“All his life he took what he wanted...Why not women?”

★ 7.2(389)19311h 24m

The Public Enemy is streaming on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max in United States, and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Availability checked 9 June 2026.

Where to watch The Public Enemy

🇺🇸 United States

HBO Max Amazon ChannelStream

HBO MaxStream

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Good to know

Director: William A. Wellman
Release date: 1931-04-23
Runtime: 1h 24m
Language: English
Box office: $557,000
Budget: $151,000
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Studio: The Vitaphone Corporation

The Public Enemy — trailer

About The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy is a 1931 movie in the Crime and Drama genres, directed by William A. Wellman, starring James Cagney, Jean Harlow and Edward Woods. It has a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes. It holds an average rating of 7.2/10 from 389 viewers. Below you can see where to watch The Public Enemy in United States — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away.

Cast

James Cagney

Tom Powers

Jean Harlow

Gwen Allen

Edward Woods

Matt Doyle

Joan Blondell

Mamie

Donald Cook

Mike Powers

Leslie Fenton

Samuel 'Nails' Nathan

Beryl Mercer

Ma Powers

Robert Emmett O'Connor

Paddy Ryan

Murray Kinnell

Putty Nose

Clark Burroughs

Dutch (uncredited)

Mae Clarke

Kitty (uncredited)

Frank Coghlan Jr.

Tom as a Boy (uncredited)

Themes & keywords

gangsteranti herotragedyorganized crimebest friendjuvenile delinquentpre-codegrapefruit

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Public Enemy in United States?+

In United States, you can stream The Public Enemy on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home.

Is The Public Enemy on Netflix?+

The Public Enemy is not on Netflix in United States right now, but you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max.

How long is The Public Enemy?+

The Public Enemy has a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes (84 minutes).

Who stars in The Public Enemy?+

The Public Enemy stars James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell and Donald Cook.

When did The Public Enemy come out?+

The Public Enemy is a 1931 movie directed by William A. Wellman.

What genre is The Public Enemy?+

The Public Enemy is Crime and Drama film.

Who directed The Public Enemy?+

The Public Enemy was directed by William A. Wellman.