The Beast of the City - Warner Archive Collection

The early 1930s crime craze that swept through Hollywood after Warner Bros hit pay dirt with Little Caesar and The Public Enemy surely pleased studio executives, but the resulting glorification of the gangster culture troubled the U.S. government, which worried such subversive fare would further fuel the country's already serious crime problem. The issue even got the attention of President Herbert Hoover, who not only discussed it with MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer (a personal friend), but also pitched the idea of a picture that would honor law enforcement's heroic efforts to crush the mob and tell its story from the noble perspective of the police.

The Beast of the City was reportedly born from that conversation. Adapted from a story by W.R. Burnett, whose fiction produced such classics as Little Caesar, High Sierra, and The Asphalt Jungle, this absorbing, realistic, and ultimately devastating movie rivals anything Warner Bros churned out during that period, but it rarely gets the credit it deserves. The tale may focus on the tough task of bringing down a powerful syndicate and its cocky kingpin, but it still fits firmly within the gangster genre, exhibiting plenty of toughness, titillation, and especially violence. The flurry of gunfire that comprises the film's explosive finale rivals anything Scorsese or Tarantino have put on screen, and the fact that such a large-scale shootout occurs in a 1932 movie (from family-friendly MGM, no less!) makes it all the more shocking.

The story chronicles the efforts of police chief Jim Fitzpatrick (Walter Huston) to capture the elusive, cigar-chomping mob boss Sam Belmonte (Jean Hersholt) and shut down his vicious syndicate. Jim's younger, happy-go-lucky brother Ed (Wallace Ford) also serves on the force and gets entangled in the sexy web of Sam's slinky moll Daisy Stevens (Jean Harlow). The devious Daisy manipulates Ed to a fare-thee-well, and when Jim refuses to promote the unworthy Ed so he can earn a higher salary that meets Daisy's extravagant demands, Ed turns to the mob for some quick cash. His betrayal infuriates Jim and jeopardizes the police operation.

Though born and raised in Great Britain, director Charles Brabin impressively depicts the hard-boiled American gangster scene, often employing a mobile camera (a rarity in those early talkie years) to heighten realism and lend the movie style and pizzazz. Brabin, who would retire two years later (his best known sound film is most likely The Mask of Fu Manchu, which premiered the same year), crafts a blistering film that zips along at a brisk pace and delivers a potent, double-edged message: crime does not pay, but stamping it out is an often thankless job that leaves a trail of dead policemen in its wake. John Lee Mahin's peppy script captures the day-to-day flow of an investigation (it's not quite a police procedural, but lays the groundwork for that type of film) and is peppered with laugh-out-loud wisecracks that help relieve the underlying tension.

Performances are top-notch, too. Huston is good in everything, but here he brings an endearing humanity to his upstanding, square-jawed role that really sucks the viewer into his world. Tough on the job, tender with his family, protective of his beloved brother yet heartbroken over his deception, Huston hits all the right notes and personifies the police officer ideal. Most classics fans know Ford as a chameleon-like character actor who enhanced countless movies once he hit middle age, but he began his career as a leading man and tackles his colorful part here with typical charisma. The Beast of the City was just his fourth feature, but Ford comes across as a seasoned pro and generates plenty of heat with the smoldering, 20-year-old Harlow, who steals the show as the malicious moll.

After making a huge splash in the Howard Hughes aviation spectacular Hell's Angels, Harlow struggled to find her footing in Hollywood. Her sexpot image, lack of acting experience, and strangulating contract with Hughes limited her opportunities, but The Beast of the City gave her a juicy part that turned the heads of audiences and studio brass. In their book Harlow in Hollywood, authors Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Vieira quote from a memo MGM production head Irving G. Thalberg sent Harlow after the movie garnered her praise. "We had no idea when we gave you the role that you were capable of giving the truly excellent performance you have given," Thalberg wrote.

That backhanded compliment is ever so true. I was also surprised to see Harlow lace her portrayal with so many clever touches and navigate her duplicitous part with such aplomb at this early stage of her career. Sure, she's a knockout physically, but Harlow delivers a nuanced performance that blends sex and sass with moments of sympathy that hide her character's true venomous nature. Though her role isn't especially large, Harlow rivets attention whenever she's on screen. MGM recognized that magnetism and signed her to a long-term contract that would last until her tragic death five years later at the tender age of 26.

The Beast of the City also marked the feature-length sound debut of 11-year-old dynamo Mickey Rooney. The pint-sized actor looks more like 7 or 8 than 11, but he's bursting with boisterous energy and already developing the animated persona that would enable him to supplant Shirley Temple as America's #1 box office draw a mere seven years later. In other roles, Hersholt goes to town as the Al Capone-like kingpin and the ubiquitous J. Carrol Naish shines as his chief henchman.

The Beast of the City may be remembered as Harlow's breakthrough and for its ultra-violent shoot-'em-up climax, but Brabin's film stands on its own as a powerful indictment of organized crime, an ode to the Men in Blue, and a stylish pre-Code thriller teeming with action, sex, and snappy dialogue. Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, and Scarface may be better known, but The Beast of the City is every bit as good and deserves to take its place among the era's great gangster flicks. Like the MGM lion, this beast roars.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
The Beast of the City arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the best preservation elements yields an often stunning 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that shaves decades off this pre-Code classic. Other than a missing frame that fleetingly distracts, this marvelous film-like rendering is practically flawless and faithfully honors the cinematography of two-time Oscar-nominee Norbert Brodine. Excellent clarity and contrast, deep blacks, bright whites, and a healthy grayscale produce a picture that's as vibrant as the film's narrative. Grain is evident, but it's been delicately tamped down so the image maintains an organic look that suits the period. Shadow delineation is good, and sharp close-ups showcase Harlow's platinum hair, creamy complexion, and palpable allure. No digital anomalies could be detected, and no nicks, marks, or scratches sully the pristine print. The Beast of the City has never looked better, so if you own the 2009 DVD, an upgrade is mandatory.

Movies from the early 1930s often betray their age due to the rudimentary recording equipment employed at the time, but Warner Archive has nicely cleaned up The Beast of the City's audio, masking its primitive nature. The resulting DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track thrusts us into the action with a robust soundscape that's smooth, vibrant, and well balanced. Sonic accents like sirens, gunshots, and blaring alarms are crisp, but even faint atmospherics like a ticking clock are well rendered. Though there's no music score, a wide dynamic scale handles all the highs and lows of the main title theme and incidental music with ease, and most of the dialogue is clear and easy to comprehend. A few lines are lost when they compete with crowd scenes and multiple audio effects, but that's typical for films of this vintage. A faint bit of hiss can be heard during quiet scenes, but any pops or crackle have been meticulously erased. You really can't ask for more from a 93-year-old movie.

A couple of (very) early cartoons are the only extras on the disc.

• Vintage Cartoon: Goopy Geer (SD, 7 minutes) - In this 1932 black-and-white Merrie Melodies cartoon, the melodies take center stage, as a dog named Goopy - who looks quite a bit like his Disney cousin Goofy - tinkles the ivories in a wacky nightclub populated by a bunch of typically loony animated characters.
• Vintage Cartoon: Bosko and Bruno (SD, 7 minutes) - An early, black-and-white Looney Tunes short, this zany 1932 cartoon chronicles the titular duo's frenetic railroad adventure.

The Beast of the City may not enjoy the same elevated reputation as Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, and Scarface, but it's every bit as good. An absorbing story, plenty of action, and a jaw-dropping finale distinguish this top-notch, pre-Code crime drama that looks and sounds like a million bucks on Blu-ray, thanks to a new 4K scan of the best preservation elements and remastered audio. All that, and Jean Harlow, too! Highly Recommended.