Trailer
Plot summary
Rico robs gas stations for a living before he joins Sam Vettori's gang. Joe Massara, a dancer who works at a nightclub and serves as the crew's lookout, is one of the men beside him. Joe hopes to make dancing his life and leave the gang. On New Year's Eve the crew robs Little Arnie Lorch's casino, and crime commissioner Alvin McClure is shot during the job while Joe watches. The underworld chief known as Big Boy had ordered his people to avoid bloodshed.
Cast
- Nicholas Belaas Ritz Colonna (as Nick Bela)
Show all 20 cast
- Elmer Ballardas Bat Carilla (uncredited)
- George Dalyas Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Little Caesar (1931)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Edward G. Robinson was offered the supporting part of Otero by Hal B. Wallis but refused, saying casting him as Otero would completely imbalance the picture, the only part he would consider playing was Little Caesar.
- Clark Gable was sought for a role in Little Caesar, but Jack L. Warner turned him down; Warner said director Mervyn LeRoy wanted Gable for the lead, while LeRoy said he wanted him for the second lead.
- Rico was not based on Al Capone but was a composite of several men, notably Sam Cardinelli; film historians have linked Joe Massara to George Raft. "Big Boy" referred to corrupt Chicago mayor "Big Bill" Hale Thompson, and Pete Montana was based on "Big Jim" Colosimo.
- Novelist W. R. Burnett said the first script, written by Rowland V. Lee, was thrown out by LeRoy, and the film was rewritten by Francis E. Faragoh.
- Along with The Public Enemy (1931) and Scarface (1932), Little Caesar helped develop the gangster film genre, establishing themes and conventions that have been used since.
