The Beast of the City

The Beast of the City
Promotional poster
Directed by	Charles Brabin
Written by	W.R. Burnett (story) John Lee Mahin Ben Hecht (uncredited)
Produced by	Hunt Stromberg
Starring	Walter Huston Jean Harlow Wallace Ford Jean Hersholt
Cinematography	Norbert Brodine
Edited by	Anne Bauchens
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	February 13, 1932 (1932-02-13)
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$230,000 (est)
Box office	$408,000 (USA) $202,000 (worldwide exc. US)

The Beast of the City is a 1932 American pre-Code gangster film featuring cops as vigilantes and known for its singularly vicious ending. Written by W.R. Burnett, Ben Hecht (uncredited), and John Lee Mahin, and directed by Charles Brabin, the film stars Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford, Jean Hersholt, and Tully Marshall.

Police Captain Jim Fitzpatrick is a dedicated family man and crime fighter not averse to using violence to fight violence. Although he's been demoted for political reasons, public outcry forces the mayor to take more aggressive action against sleazy gang boss Sam Belmonte, and Fitzpatrick is promoted to police chief.

His younger brother, Police Detective Ed Fitzpatrick, allows himself to be seduced by a languorously sexy Belmonte gang moll, Daisy, and needs money to continue the relationship. Frustrated when his principled brother will not promote him, he betrays Jim's trust by conspiring with Belmonte's henchmen in a truck hijacking that results in the deaths of a child and another police officer.

After a crooked lawyer is able to get those guilty off on all charges, Ed tells the anguished Jim that he feels guilty and that he wants to go to the newspapers about Belmonte. Jim says he should tell Belmonte that at Belmonte's celebration party, and Jim will bring police in case there is an altercation. Before leaving home, Jim checks his life insurance and bank-account book.

Ed enters the party; Belmonte and guests are insulting Jim, including a mannequin dressed as Jim. He slaps Belmonte, and Jim and police enter. Cholo says he will kill Ed if Jim goes further; Ed defies Cholo, and Cholo shoots him. After the guests flee, a huge gun battle erupts between the police and gangsters; everyone dies, including Daisy, hit by a stray bullet. The dying Jim takes Ed's hand, as a flashback shows Jim reciting his oath as police chief to uphold the law.

Mickey Rooney, in an uncredited appearance in his first MGM feature, played the son of Captain Jim Fitzpatrick (Walter Huston).^[1]

The Beast of the City originated in consultations between MGM head of production Louis B. Mayer and President Herbert Hoover, who was concerned that the public needed to have greater respect for police officers and other law-enforcement officials.^[2] The film opens with this text: "Instead of the glorification of cowardly gangsters, we need the glorification of policemen who do their duty and give their lives in public protection. If the police had the vigilant, universal backing of public opinion in their communities, if they had the implacable support of the prosecuting authorities and the courts—I am convinced that our police would stamp out the excessive crime—which has disgraced some of our great cities”— President Herbert Hoover.” The film was produced under the working title "City Sentinels";^[2] principal photography took place from November 4 to December 1931^[3] at MGM's studios in Culver City.^[4]

After the film was completed, Mayer decided that it was not quite right for MGM's image as the home of family entertainment, because it was too violent, despite its focus on law-and-order. Mayer ordered that it be exhibited as the bottom feature on double bills.^[1] The film was Jean Harlow's opportunity to show MGM that she would cooperate with the studio, and she was rewarded with better roles which would shortly lead to stardom.^[1]

• List of American films of 1932

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Beast of the City.

• The Beast of the City at IMDb
• The Beast of the City at the TCM Movie Database
• The Beast of the City at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films