Overview
A small-time hood's ambition leads him down a dark path of crime and betrayal.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- brooding
- forceful
- classic cinema night
- film history study
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark gangster classic whose lasting stature rests on Edward G. Robinson’s volcanic performance and its influence on the mobster archetype.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rico’s rapid ascent, commanding presence, and emphatic catchphrases helped define the big-screen mobster model.
Rico moves from petty robberies to control of multiple gang hierarchies while police pressure and personal betrayal close in.
The film presents organized crime, murder, ambition, and sexual-romantic conflict with the directness associated with pre-Code Hollywood.
Edward G. Robinson’s performance makes Rico’s aggression, confidence, and fear of losing power the dominant emotional engine.
Films like Little Caesar, and why
The Public Enemy
foundational pre-code gangster drama centered on criminal ambition, organized crime, and a volatile central performance
Scarface
classic crime saga about a ruthless gangster’s ascent and collapse, with stark pre-code intensity
The Roaring Twenties
stylized gangster drama exploring power, loyalty, and the rise and fall of a crime boss
Movie Details
- Director
- Mervyn LeRoy
- Release Date
- 1931-01-25
- Runtime
- 78 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (313)
Cast
- Edward G. Robinson
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
- Glenda Farrell
- William Collier Jr.
- Sidney Blackmer
- Ralph Ince
- Thomas E. Jackson
- Stanley Fields
- Maurice Black
- George E. Stone
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Little Caesar about?
- An ambitious petty hood claws his way to the top of a Chicago crime empire, only to find power inseparable from betrayal and ruin.
- What is Little Caesar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Little Caesar as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Little Caesar violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Little Caesar as moderate.
- What did critics think of Little Caesar?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark gangster classic whose lasting stature rests on Edward G. Robinson’s volcanic performance and its influence on the mobster archetype.
- Which films are like Little Caesar?
- Films with a similar feel include The Public Enemy, Scarface, and The Roaring Twenties.
- How long is Little Caesar?
- Little Caesar runs 78 minutes.
- Where can I watch Little Caesar?
- In United States, Little Caesar is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
