The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy (1931) was a pre-Code gangster film directed by William A. Wellman (Heroes for Sale, The Story of G.I. Joe, Battleground), and starred James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, and Donald Cook. Brothers Tom (Cagney) and Mike (Cook) Powers become involved in bootlegging during Prohibition.

The following firearms can be seen in the film The Public Enemy:

The Public Enemy (1931).

Colt Police Positive

"Putty Nose" McGonagall (Murray Kinnell) surprises Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Edward Woods) with a pair of Colt Police Positive revolvers during the 1915 sequence when he sends them to rob the fur warehouse. The policeman that chases them also carries a Police Positive. Later, Tom swindles a gun shop clerk into giving him two Police Positive revolvers, which the clerk tells him are ".38 caliber." Although Tom appears to him to have no gun knowledge at all, the clerk is not visibly surprised by the four .38 bullets that Tom was carrying and loads into the guns.

Colt Police Positive - .38 Special.

Putty Nose hands the Police Positives to Tom and Matt, butt first.

Tom and Matt look over their new revolvers.

The dead policeman's Police Positive in his hand.

The clerk shows Tom how to load the Police Positive.

Tom holds a loaded revolver on the clerk.

At first, the clerk believes Tom to be joking.

Tom stumbles out of Schemer Burns' headquarters after shooting it up.

Vickers machine gun

The hitmen hired by Schemer Burns to take out Tom and Matt use two Vickers machine guns.

Vickers Mk1 Machine Gun

The hitmen set up their machine guns the night before.

The hitmen abandon their guns after killing Matt.

Colt New Service M1917

In publicity material, James Cagney holds a Colt New Service while in character as Tom Powers.

Colt New Service Revolver - .45 ACP.

James Cagney with a New Service. It is different from the Police Positive he carries in the film, evident by the larger size and the front sight.