A Police Captain named McQuigg(Thomas Meighan) is up against powerful bootlegger Nick Scarsi (Louis Wolheim) who has the police and the law of Chicago in his pocket. When Scarsi finds out he can't scare the cop off, he has him transferred to a quiet small police precinct in the suburbs. McQuigg still tries to stop Scarsi by having his little brother in Jail, using reporters, having a night club singer named Helen Hayes(Marie Prevost) to expose the criminal, a witness to testify and he must do it before Scarsi wins the election for his organization.
This film kind of reminds me of the rivalry between Elliot Ness and Al Capone from "The Untouchables". This rivalry between the Cop and the gangster is really good epically when they're on screen together. Our hero is very slick and smart. He doesn't take Nick's crap, he tries and never gives up to find ways to have Nick put away, he sometimes breaks the law like Nick does to get what he wants and always keeps that intimidating smirk on his face. This is one Cop that you can't scare off or even try to shake off. The people he has on his side such as the two comical reporters, the club singer who's poisonous to Nick (Like all woman are to him), the Cop that grabs Nick's little brother and the witness who's Helen's love interest are all great and helpful to McQuigg but like many great heroes, he's the one you're more focused on.
Our villain Nick is just as tough and intimidating as McQuigg. He tries to have his goons scare off our hero, he has all the law and politics in Chicago in his pocket when ever he needs to use it, he smuggles liquor and like our hero, he always keeps an intimidating smile even when being threatened. He's also a cold blooded killer, best scene is when he meets the Cop who arrested his brother. His men are not memorable or as interesting as our heroes people but yet all the supporting characters are not really as interesting as the rivalry between our hero and villain. What makes it interesting is their both very powerful people and seeing them fight against each other is like trying to fight fire with fire.
The film itself is really well made. The cinematography is brilliant and has really good shots. My favorite scene with the cinematography is the funereal scene as we see the faces of evil looking mobsters and see an ex-ray vision shot of what's underneath their hats. The music is great, it definatly gives the film it's atmosphere. It has a dark sounding score that you'd hear in a Film-Noire, it can sound light and relaxing when the film wants you to relax, I even love how the music takes the role for Helen's singing in the nightclub for this silent picture. I guess the only problem I have is the action feels very anti climatic and for a film about good and evil fighting, there's really not so much gun fighting.
The film is really well made and even though it's sadly not a big named film or something really ground breaking except being banned from Chicago, it's still a good film. The cinematography, the music and story is good but it's the rivalry between our hero and villain that makes the film really good and the film was also one of the first films to be nominated for Best Picture so that at least says something worth watching to a film buff, aside from all the other good things I just mentioned. Overall if you're really into the whole Cop vs Mob Boss story this a good choice, aside from the lack of action.
RATING 4/5
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