Public Enemies
2009’sPublic foe , star Johnny Depp as John Dillinger , abide mostly true to historical event but do a few tweak for spectacular purposes . author - conductor Michael Mann ( Heat ) recreated transformative moments in the life of John Dillinger , and even filmed at the genuine locations where the ill-famed American bankrobber square off against FBI agents . For the primary plot line , Mann and familiar co - screenwriters Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman conform Bryan Burrough ’s 2004 bookPublic Enemies : America ’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI , 1933–34 . Overall , Public Enemiesis mostly veritable , yet witness should n’t believe everything they see .
Public Enemiesbegins in 1933 as Dillinger ( Johnny Depp ) smuggles weapons into Indiana State Prison and helps his pal break away ; an outcome that has been affirm by historians . Dillinger later on meet Mary Evelyn " Billie " Frechette ( Marion Cotillard ) , a singer soak up to the focal crook . From there , Public Enemieschronicles the major consequence in Dillinger ’s life , including his escape cock from Lake County Jail ( Crown Point , Indiana ) , his escape from FBI agents during a raid at Little Bohemia Lodge ( Manitowish Waters , Wisconsin ) , and ultimately his death outside Chicago ’s Biograph Theater on July 22 , 1934.Public Enemiesco - starsChristian Baleas Melvin Purvis , a real - life FBI agent who was infamous for track down high - profile gangsters , which reportedly made his workfellow J. Edgar Hoover demote him for receivingtoo muchmedia attention .
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Produced for $ 100 million , Public Enemiesearned over $ 214 million at the box function , and arguably remains one of Mann ’s most depreciate films . The work of cinematographer Dante Spinotti has been praise over the long time , along with the corporate performances . conceive it or not , Mann actually had tode - dramatizea pivotal moment in Dillinger ’s life , worried that audiences would question its authenticity . As a whole , the director and troupe do n’t necessarily make up events , but they do occasionally gift alternate history by mix together sure facts . Here ’s what ’s changed inPublic EnemiesonNetflix .
The Pretty Boy Floyd Timeline
Ten minutes intoPublic Enemies , Agent Purvis calmly hunts down bankrobber Charles Arthur Floyd , aka Pretty Boy Floyd , portrayed byChanning Tatum . Otis Taylor’s"Ten Million Slaves"scores the moment , as Bale ’s character rips off a match overleap shots before blasting his object in the chest . “Pretty Boy Floyd?“Purvis says,“You’re under arrest . “He quetch aside the criminal ’s gas pedal and then identify himself . In response , Pretty male child Floyd states"I believe you killed him me , so you’re able to go rot in hell . “For the film , the Pretty Boy Floyd squelcher introduces Bale ’s graphic symbol and establishes his relevance . In reality , though , Purvis apparently did n’t personally kill Pretty Boy Floyd .
Public Enemiesacknowledges the prestige that Purvis clear from allegedly kill Pretty Boy Floyd , but does n’t quote the fact that there are wildly different accounts of the criminal ’s death . law records show that various local officer fire at Pretty Boy Floyd , this make out after he ’d been spotted in East Liverpool , Ohio . The FBI bill posit that Purvis led the chase with four agentsandfour local bull , and that it was the FBI crew who killed the target . In 1979 , East Liverpool officer Charles Smith toldTIMEthat"I knew Purvis could n’t stumble him , so I dropped him with two barb from my .32 Winchester rifle . “Purvis then reportedly ordered fellow broker Herman Hollis to buck Pretty Boyd Floyd , who was then the # 1 most - want criminal . InPublic Enemies’timeline , Pretty Boy Floyd diesbeforeDillinger . In real life , he was killed precisely three monthsafterDillinger ’s death . The takeout food : Mann ’s film position Purvis as an FBI legend . While that may be rightful , there ’s been surmisal that Pretty Boy Floyd was captured and killed rather unceremoniously .
Public Enemies Toned Down John Dillinger’s Indiana Escape
At the last ofPublic Enemies’first hour , Dillinger gets catch in Tuscon , Arizona and transfer to Indiana . It ’s a true medium spectacle , if only because of the criminal ’s outlaw status . Dillinger is questioned by Indiana journalists ( portrayed by real - life Indiana newsman ) about smuggling guns , and an prolonged effectual sequence underscore the fact that Dillinger was in danger of being killed before his test began . surprisingly , Dillinger used a fake wooden gun to scare guard duty into aid him escape . InPublic Enemies , the consequence spotlightsDepp ’s personal appeal as an actor , and may even leave looker question if the entire chronological succession is historically exact . It turns out that Dillinger ’s real - life escape was even more brazen .
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world Enemiesshows Dillinger manipulating safety gadget one by one ( and with some help ) . He even benefit access to a safe full of weapons , at which compass point the guard realise that he did n’t have a real gun to begin with . Dillinger then escapes in the sherrif ’s personal fomite , and sings"The Last Round - Up"to his hostage . When discussing the escape sequence and the dubiousness of glamorize Dillinger ’s action , Mann toldIndie Londonthat"He [ Dillinger ] did n’t take six or seven people surety , he submit 17 guards hostage with that wooden gun he had carve . It would n’t be believable if you put it in a movie , so we had to tone it down . "
Dillinger And Purvis' Interactions
Prior to Dillinger ’s Indiana escape inPublic Enemieshe receives a mobile phone visit from none other than Purvis -“the adult male who killed Pretty Boy Floyd . “For dramatic aim , Depp jaw aside on gum and stares down Bale ’s character , hoping to intimidate the FBI federal agent . For audiences , the moment reinforces the fictional character dynamic and tease the final number confrontation . In realism , however , Dillinger and Purvis never fit . In fact , they reportedly never even spoke to each other . When the FBI did finally track down Dillinger and defeat him , Purvis was in the vicinity but did n’t interact with his target . The bigPublic Enemiesjailhouse showdown use as a path to build suspense , and also to reward Purvis as a legendary lawman .
The Wisconsin FBI Raid
Public Enemies’second act concludes with a violent showdown between Dillinger ’s crew and the FBI . While there ’s historical accuracy in the fact thatMichael Mannfilmed at the actual Little Bohemia Lodge - where the gunfight took place in April 1934 - the film ’s storyline betrays what actually happened . Specifically , Public Enemiesimplies that Dillinger associates Baby Face Nelson and Homer Van Meter were wipe out , when it fact the integral group get away unscathed .
In world , Baby Face Nelson did indeed kill an FBI federal agent at the Little Bohemia Lodge , but the Dillinger group reportedly left"immediately"and"quietly . “Van Meter was later on killed in St. Paul , Minnesota in August 1934 , while Nelson was defeat in November 1934 . Red Hamilton was present at the Little Bohemia confrontation , but was shoot by police the follow day in Minnesota . He died three 24-hour interval later in Illinois . Crucially , both Van Mater and Nelson were killedafterDillinger ’s last . InPublic Enemies’version of upshot , the chaos establishes Dillinger as the alone survivor ; someone who has lost all of his close ally , and thus becomes a more vulnerable baddie . In actuality , theFBI websitereveals that the Little Bohemia fiasco countenance agents to well understand how to approach criminals like Dillinger . It ’s also been suggest that Purvis begin drink heavy after the failed Little Bohemia raid , and that Samuel P. Cowley took over . Seven months after the Little Bohemia showdown , Cowley was bolt down by Nelson at"The Battle of Barrington"in Illinois . The issue concluded with Nelson being killed by FBI agents .
Dillinger’s Final Words
Public Enemiesculminates with Dillinger being buck and presumably giving a message to FBI agent Charles Winstead . During the actual destruction vista , it ’s unclear what Dillinger mutters - however , the film ends with Billie determine that he in reality said"Bye , bye , blackbird . “According to real - life investigators , though , Dillinger died without say any such thing . And even though Dillinger is often viewed as one of America ’s most infamous killers , the realism is that he was consign with one homicide during his lifetime .
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