Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics repackages previously released Blu-rays of Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, The Petrified Forest, and White Heat, four classic gangster movies from Warner Brothers. It initially was released in 2013 and has been re-released. The extras have been ported over from the previous DVD releases.
Buy Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics Blu-rayLittle Caesar (1931) stars Edward G. Robinson in his iconic role of Caesar Enrico “Rico” Bandello, a small-time hood whose brutal ways see him take over the Chicago crime scene. Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) is Rico’s pal. They started together but Joe would rather be a dancer than a gangster. Having Olga (Glenda Farrell) as his dancing partner and girlfriend makes the civilian life even more appealing, but Rico is constantly putting the screws to him. Rico grows tired of the constraints the boss puts on him, and eventually makes his move. As Rico grows more powerful, he has to worry about the cops and other crooks looking to take him down. His paranoia grows and he becomes concerned about Joe turning on him. But when Joe finally refuses his demands to join him, what will Rico do?
The Blu-ray has been give a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The image has inky blacks and natural film grain, but the print suffers from scratches and missing frames. The sharpness of the focus varies. The audio is available in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Dialogue is clear. Track sounds free of hiss or defect.
- Audio Commentary with Richard B. Jewell, film historian and USC professor
- Warner Night at the Movies takes viewers back to what audiences would have seen in the theater on an evening when this movie played:
- Introduction by Leonard Maltin (4 min): The famed film historian talks about the feature film and previews the line-up.
- Five Star Final Trailer (2 min): Robinson stars in a film about tabloid journalism.
- Newsreel (2 min): The girlfriend of slain gangster Legs Diamond is interviewed.
- “The Hard Guy” (6 min): A young Spencer Tracy stars in a story set in Hell’s Kitchen during the Depression.
- “Lady Play Your Mandolin“ (7 min): A Warners cartoon that seems more like it’s from a crosstown rival.
- Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero (17 min): This featurette focuses on Little Caesar’s place within film history.
- 1954 Rerelease Foreword (1 min): A text crawl that accompanied the theatrical re-release of Little Caesar and The Public Enemy, basically reminding folks that crime is bad.
- Theatrical Trailer (2 min)
Also set in Chicago, The Public Enemy (1931) stars James Cagney as gangster Tom Powers, who not only battles the cops and other gangsters, but has to constantly deal with his upright brother Mike (Donald Cook), who tries to get Tom to quit his criminal ways. Tom keeps his activities secret from his mother (Beryl Mercer). During Prohibition, crime becomes more lucrative, which brings a rival to challenge Tom and his gang. Like Rico, Tom pays for his bad choices. The film contains the classic scene where Tom smashes a grapefruit in his griping gal Kitty’s (Mae Clarke) face.
The Blu-ray has been give a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at the original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The blacks are inky and the image showcases a good variety of grays. The picture looks clean and shows film grain, but the sharpness of the focus varies.. The audio is available in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Dialogue is clear. Gunfire effective. Music sounds more lively during the film as opposed to compressed during the credits.
- Audio Commentary with Robert Sklar, author of City Boys: Cagney, Bogart, Garfield, and other books about cinema.
- Warner Night at the Movies
- Introduction by Leonard Maltin (3 min)
- Blonde Crazy Trailer (3 min): a romcom starring Cagney and Joan Blondell.
- Newsreel: (2 min): Training for the women’s Olympics.
- “The Eyes Have It” (10 min): Starring ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.
- “Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!” (7 min): A Merrie Melody cartoon.
- Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public (20 min): A documentary on The Public Enemy.
- 1954 Rerelease Foreword (1 min): See above
- Trailer (1 min)
Leaving the city for the Arizona desert, The Petrified Forest (1936), adapted from the play of the same name, is more bizarre love story than a traditional gangster story. Drifter Alan Squier (Leslie Howard) has made his way to diner near the Petrified Forest. The owner’s daughter, Gabrielle (Bette Davis), dreams of going to France where her mother, who left her as a baby, resides and from where she sends letters. Learning of Alan’s limited literary history, she becomes smitten with him. However, Alan leaves with tourists Mr. and Mrs. Chisholm, a fateful choice as they get flagged down by gangster Duke Mantee (Humphrey Bogart) who commandeers their car with his gang. He intends to pick up his girlfriend, Doris, at the diner and then all head to Mexico. But who will show first: Doris or the authorities.
Alan speaks like how someone thinks a sophisticated writer would but he doesn’t sound like a real person. And his idea of romance is to give his life to allow Gabrielle to live hers when she really only wants to be with him but he can’t see it. This leads him to a rather ridiculous idea that involves Duke, and his part of the story is the one that ends unsatisfactory.
The Blu-ray has been give a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at the original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Film grain is apparent. Blacks look inky and there’s an array of grays on display. The focus can lessen sharpness around the edges of the frame. The audio is available in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Dialogue is clear. Score sounds compressed and distorts when volume increases during credits. There’s a faint hiss throughout.
- Audio Commentary with Eric Lax, a Bogart biographer of Bogart.
- Warner Night at the Movies
- Introduction by Leonard Maltin (3 min)
- Bullets or Ballots Trailer (3 min): A 1936 gangster film starring Bogart and Edward G. Robinson.
- Newsreel (3 min): Stories about the abdication of England’s King Edward VIII, and the re-election of President Franklin Roosevelt.
- “Rhythmitis” (20 min): A short about a wonder drug that gives a man an ability to dance and he gets hired for a touring company.
- “The Coo Coo Nut Grove” (7 min): A “Merry Melody” filled with movie-star caricatures.
- The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert (16 min): A look at how the location is used in different movies.
- 1/17/1940 Gulf Screen Radio Broadcast (audio only; 29 min): Bogart reprises his role in a radio version of The Petrified Forest.
- Theatrical Trailer (4 min)
The final movie is White Heat (1949), featuring an iconic performance by James Cagney as Arthur “Cody” Jarrett, psychotic gang leader and mama’s boy, who is fine with her son’s criminal activities. Cody and his gang rob a mail train and kill members of the crew. When he discovers the authorities are after him, he confesses to a lesser crime as an alibi. An undercover agent, Hank (Edmond O’Brien), is placed in Cody’s cell to befriend him and get information out of him.
On the outside, things are wild. Big Ed (Steve Cochran), Cody’s pal, takes over the gang. Cozying up to him is Cody’s wife, Verna (Virginia Mayo). An inmate is hired to to kill Cody, but he’s unsuccessful thanks to Hank, who gains Cody’s trust. Ma (Margaret Wycherly) seeks revenge but ends up murdered, leading Cody to break out. Once back in charge, Cody plans to steal a chemical plant’s payroll, but Hank works to foil his plans.
The Blu-ray has been give a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at the original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Blacks are inky. Image is clean, shows good texture details, and film grain looks good. The audio is available in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Dialogue is clear. Music has good fidelity. Guns have a bigger impact. There’s no hiss or signs of damage.
- Audio Commentary with Dr. Drew Casper, USC professor and author of Postwar Hollywood: 1946-1962.
- Warner Night at the Movies
- Introduction by Leonard Maltin (3 min)
- The Fountainhead Trailer (2 min): The connection seems to be it came out the same year.
- Newsreel (2 min): Another Presidential newsreel: Harry S. Truman’s inauguration after his 1948 re-election.
- “So You Think You’re Not Guilty” (11 min): From the “Joe McDoakes” comic series, this short involves a traffic signal.
- “Homeless Hare” (7 min): A 1950 Bugs Bunny cartoon.
- White Heat: Top of the World (17 min): A featurette about the film.
- Theatrical Trailer (2 min)
The final disc is a DVD presenting Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film (106 min), a 2008 Turner Classic Movies documentary. Narrated by Alec Baldwin, the film explores the gangster genre from silent films through the Classic Hollywood era, such as those presented here, and up to the modern day, such as the works of Martin Scorsese, who is interviewed.
- Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes (36 min) offers four animated shorts. “I Like Mountain Music” sees silly characters from a drug store newsstand get loose one evening. “She Was an Acrobat’s Daughter” (9 min) presents a night at the theater, including a spoof of Petrified Forest. And two gangster-themed cartoons starring Bugs Bunny: “Racketeer Rabbit” (8 min) and “Bugs and Thugs” (8 min).
Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics is a great quartet of classic Hollywood films for fans of the genre. The high-definition presentations are better the newer the film, but all are satisfying considering the source. The extras are a great treat for those who want to learn more about the films and those who want to learn what was going on at the time of their release.
