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Public Hero No. 1

Public Hero No. 1
Public-Hero-Number-One-1935-Poster-2.jpg
Directed by J. Walter Ruben
Produced by Lucien Hubbard
Written by J. Walter Ruben (story)
Wells Root (story and screenplay)
Starring Lionel Barrymore
Jean Arthur
Chester Morris
Joseph Calleia
Music by Edward Ward
Cinematography Gregg Toland
Edited by Frank Sullivan
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • May 31, 1935 (1935-05-31)
Running time
89 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Public Hero No. 1 is a 1935 American crime film starring Lionel Barrymore, Jean Arthur, Chester Morris and Joseph Calleia. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production was directed by J. Walter Ruben.

Undercover FBI agent Jeff Crane (Chester Morris) is planted in the same prison as Sonny Black (Joseph Calleia), who is suspected of belonging to the notorious Purple Gang. Jeff helps Sonny escape in the hope that he will lead Jeff back to the rest of the gang.

Sonny is seriously wounded during the escape, and makes his way to his home in central Wisconsin. He sends Jeff for Dr. Josiah Glass (Lionel Barrymore), an alcoholic who has saved the lives of many of the gang members. In his rush, Jeff forces a bus off the road during a late-night rainstorm. One of the passengers, Maria Theresa "Terry" O'Reilly (Jean Arthur), gets him to take the stranded people back to town. However, he refuses Terry's persistent requests that he drive her to her destination, only a few miles away.

Jeff finds Dr. Glass, but has to wait, as the storm has made a bridge impassible. During that time, he and Terry become acquainted. He learns that she is going to see her brother "Dinkie". She has not seen him in many years, and he has refused to respond to her letters about an inheritance from their uncle. Jeff is shocked when he sees a photograph of her brother: Dinkie is Sonny. Terry is unaware of Sonny's criminal activity.

When Jeff takes Dr. Glass to Sonny, Terry stows away in the car. She meets Sonny, and learns that he is the subject of a nationwide manhunt. However, family ties are strong, and she helps nurse him back to health. Later, when Sonny slaps Terry for persistently trying to persuade him to turn himself in, Jeff cannot control himself. He punches Sonny. Sonny angrily orders Jeff and Terry to leave, at gunpoint.

Jeff's boss, Special Agent James Duff (Paul Kelly), had warned Jeff not to get involved with Terry. The whole operation seems to be ruined, so Duff fires Jeff.

However, Jeff has an idea. Knowing that the gang is planning to strike that day, he tricks Dr. Glass into taking him to their hideout, a roadhouse named Little Paree. He notifies Duff, and a fierce gunfight ensues. All of the gang members are killed except Sonny, who escapes. A dying Dr. Glass confirms that Sonny was the boss.


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