Bullets Or Ballots

Bullets Or Ballots
1936 - Warner Brothers
Directed By William Keighley



SYNOPSIS

Disgraced former police detective Johnny Blake (Edward G. Robinson) decides to change sides and become involved in the numbers racket. He joins the mob of Al Krueger (Barton MacLane.) When Krueger is bumped off by his #2 'Bugs' Fenner (Humphrey Bogart,) Blake ascends to the top. But Fenner isn't sure Blake ever left the police department.



MY THOUGHTS

An entertaining gangster film that's boosted by many great performances.

Edward G. Robinson is as highly charismatic as he was in his breakthrough role in Little Caesar, though here he's a good guy. Always fun to watch,

The female roles are far different from the usual molls in every other gangster film
Joan Blondell is a big player in the numbers racket... and Robinson's sort-of love interest. You rarely see women as tough gangsters in this era.
Louise Beavers, her black maid, is practically running the racket along side of Blondell as equals, which is very unusual and progressive for the time.

Humphrey Bogart plays one of his best supporting gangster thugs of his pre-fame career. He's intense and frightening.... not a guy you'd ever want to meet.

The film is just as fast moving and economically shot as all the other films of Warner's gangster film cycle of the 30's and 40's. It's not as good as the best, like Angels With Dirty Faces or White Heat, but Bullets or Ballots is solid entertainment.