G-Man Jeff Crane poses as a crook to infiltrate the notorious Purple Gang, a band of hoodlums which preys upon other hoodlums. Orchestrating the jailbreak of the gang's leader, Crane joins him in a Dillinger-like flight across the country.
Acting
Jean Arthur steals scenes as a quick-witted gangster's moll.
Direction
Ruben blends documentary-style realism with screwball energy.
Production
Actual prison locations give gritty authenticity rare for 1935.
Director
J. Walter Ruben
Lionel Barrymore
Dr. Josiah Glass
Jean Arthur
Maria Theresa 'Terry' O'Reilly
Chester Morris
Jeff Crane
Joseph Calleia
Sonny 'Dinkie' Black
Paul Kelly
Special Agent James Duff
Lewis Stone
Prison Warden
Paul Hurst
Rufe Parker
George E. Stone
Butch
William Bailey
Federal Agent (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Ed Brady
Convict in Prison (uncredited)
Lane Chandler
Train Conductor (uncredited)
Cora Sue Collins
Little Girl (uncredited)
Helene Costello
Convict Wife (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on real Bureau of Investigation cases—this was basically 1930s FBI propaganda with personality.
The Purple Gang was Detroit's real Jewish mob; Hollywood sanitized their ethnicity entirely for this adaptation.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
