YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Iseerphia All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

LeonLouisRicci This is a Gangster Movie that was released just After Full Implementation of the Hays Code and there are some obvious Capitulations. This is as Violent as the Thirties Post Code Gets. The Movie has numerous Gun Battles, some Blood, and even an Up Close and Personal Murder of a Female.Most of the Pre-Code Edge is Gone but enough Visceral Violence remains and it is Not Neutered completely. Mostly because the 'G'ood Guys are Portrayed very 'G'ood and the Bad Guys are shown to be very Bad, in keeping with the Code's Pro-Law, Anti-Crime Insistence.James Cagney, at the Peak of His Popularity and riding the Gangster Film Wave, this time on the Side of the Law, is Fine and the Cast and Production are Prime. The Movie Drags a Bit in Spots and seems a Tad too Long, but it is nevertheless a Rousing Entertainment and a Good Propaganda Piece for 'G'overnment Law Enforcement.A Few Scenes are "Pulled from the Headlines" and it is a Warner Brothers Movie that Delivers the Goods that the Studio is Known For. It's a Winner by All Accounts and is Must See Viewing for Fans of the Genre and Pop Culture Historians. It's an Example of that Imaginary Line between Pre-Post Code Hollywood.Note...Most prints now have the F.B.I. intro inserted for the 1949 Re-Release. It's basically one of those Pro-Government-Anti-Crime speeches that were part of the then recent Post-War Hollywood.

AaronCapenBanner William Keighley directed this exciting film about the early days of the FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation) where lawyer Brick Davis(played by Jimmy Cagney) is recruited to join by an old friend. After that friend is murdered, Brick becomes determined to take down the mob, even though he has old ties to it from his past. These particular gangsters are on a multi-state crime spree, so it becomes a perfect opportunity for the FBI to prove what it can do. For its re-release, it was presented as a training film for new agents during its 25th anniversary in a clever prologue. Lots of action and witty banter between Cagney and costars Robert Armstrong & Barton Maclane.

Diego_rjc Recently, I've watched a lot of James Cagney's gangster movies. Usually, he plays the gangster. He is always the mafia leader. But in this one Cagney is a FBI agent. That's right. This time, James Cagney is fighting against the gangsters. At first, it sounded weird, but it works quite well.The movie tells the story of Brick Davis, a lawyer related to the mafia that decides to join the FBI force, known as 'G-Men' after his friend, also a 'G-Men', is killed.As usual, James Cagney gives a fine performance as Brick Davis, regardless his better works, like in 'White Heat' and 'Public Enemy'. The other members of the cast do a normal job, just like William Keighley's direction. A supporting member of the cast that did a great job was Barton MacLane, as the villain.The movie sounds more like a propaganda to the FBI force, but this isn't a bad thing. For 1935's, the movie has great action scenes, with car chases, shooting, kidnapping, robbery, etc, and they are all very well filmed for its period. Even though I prefer the action sequences in 'Scarface', they are great here also.In resume, another great gangster movie from the 1930's.8 out of 10.

lugonian Ever since G MEN was sold to commercial TV, all prints to this 1935 theatrical release were taken from the 1949 reissue commemorating the FBI's 25th anniversary with a tag-on three minute prologue featuring am F.B.I. Chief (David Brian) addressing his classroom of rookies on what they are about to see, something he labels as "the grand-daddy of all FBI pictures." Following his brief profile about the FBI's history, including the fact that the agents weren't allowed to carry guns to protect themselves against mobsters, a rule that has since changed, Brian starts the projector to play the motion picture ....'G' MEN (Warner Brothers, 1935), directed by William Keighley, starring movie tough guy James Cagney in Hollywood's first of its kind film tribute to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, better known as the F.B.I., "special agents," government men, or "G" Men as the title implies, who risk their lives bringing dangerous criminals to justice. Instead of placing Cagney as a public enemy, he gets the opportunity working on the side of the law rather than against it. Unlike latter imitations produced in the 1940s or television's popular series, THE UNTOUCHABLES, 'G' MEN does not detail its story though flashback(s), off screen narration not documentary style, though quite a novel idea for 1935, but provides an exciting story with scenes suggested on actual occurrences (namely the famous Wisconsin lodge massacre), car chases, kidnappings and giving audiences the run for their money with Cagney along with the G Men violently shooting it out with many (Hollywood) gangster types.The story introduces James "Brick" Davis (James Cagney) as an honest lawyer with no prospects of ever getting clients. He proves his honesty by refusing a bribe from the corrupt Joseph Krantz (Edwin Maxwell) to defend a guilty client. As for his background, the script reveals Brick as a tough street kid guided to the right direction by a father figure named McKay (William Harrigan), a crime boss who not only gave him a decent upbringing but put him through law school. Because Eddie Buchanan (Regis Toomey), his college pal now working for the Department of Justice, had been gunned down by mobster Brad Collins (Barton MacLane - in excellent portrayal) during an arrest of notorious gangster Danny Leggett (Edward Pawley), Brick avenges his friend's death by closing his office and join forces against crime as a "G" Man for the F.B.I, in Washington, D.C. While going through the training process along fellow rookie Hugh Farrell (Lloyd Nolan, in film debut), Brick nearly loses his chance with the bureau when Jeff McCord (Robert Armstrong), his superior, who never liked Brick very much, receives a report disclosing his association with McKay and other mobsters, but through his knowledge and effort to give out their identities, Brick shows how much of an asset he could be to the bureau.For his female co-stars, Cagney is supported by capable Warners stock players, Margaret Lindsay and Ann Dvorak. Lindsay plays Kay, a night nurse by profession. As with her brother, Jeff, she takes an immediate dislike towards Brick because of his wiseacre personality. Ann Dvorak appears as Jean Morgan, singer and dancer at McKay's night club. Although a very close friend of Brick's, her association with the underworld thickens with her marriage to the homicidal Brad Collins. Although her part is actually small, she's most beneficial to the story highlighted by her noteworthy telephone booth scene.Aside from the usual plot development process leading to an exciting second half of the story, G-MEN includes musical numbers in a night club with Ann Dvorak vocalizing "You Bother Me An Awful Lot" (by Sammy and Irving Kahl); followed by popular tunes of the day originally introduced in other Warner Brothers productions as Al Dubin and Harry Warren's "Lullaby of Broadway" (vocalist unknown), instrumental background score of "I'm Going Shipping With You" from GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935; and instrumental dance number, "Go Into Your Dance" (with Ann Dvorak and chorus girls)lifted from GO INTO YOUR DANCE (1935).G MEN is one for the time capsule and worth looking back at the use of many outdated technology/ machinery used in capturing criminals, especially the fingerprinting lab process for example, indicating how the technology has prospered over the years. In spite of its age, G MEN, occasionally presented on Turner Classic Movies and available either on video or DVD formats, still delivers as great entertainment, especially during its second half. While G MEN was generally responsible for starting a cycle of FBI films, followed by SPECIAL AGENT (1935) with George Brent; BULLETS OR BALLOTS (1936) with Edward G. Robinson, and much later THE FBI STORY (1959) with James Stewart, G MEN is packs a wallop as "the grand-daddy of all F.B.I. films," thanks to the know-how performance of the legendary James Cagney. "Don't tell him I said so." (****)