Public Enemy Number One
Public Enemy Number One
Director Michael Mann's Public Enemies is based on Bryan Burrough's book; Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-43.The film shows the deeds of the best of the best FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), in attempt of capturing the popular bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). This film captures history’s most astonishing sudden rise in the crime rate of American history which was the two year battle between J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Bonnie and Clyde. The last few years of Dillinger and his relationship with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) was also focused on in this film. John Dillinger became a hero to the American people. All in thanks to his disposition for robbing banks that many people believed were responsible for the Great Depression.
The question is should a successful criminal be viewed as a hero to today’s public? Many people in today’s culture do not look up to criminals as they once did in the past such as the 1930's. But movies such as Public Enemies with a 7 out of 10 rating are the most viewed and have the highest opening weekend gross income of $25,271,675. Does this mean that people today are interested in criminals, evil, and human depravity? At a young age we become curious of the world around us. Therefore our consciousness is drawn to what people see as wrong or deceitful when we become aware of our moral sense. This is why we are so intrigued by crime. This fact explains why so much of our popular entertainment is driven by narratives and plots dealing with crime, criminals, police and violence.
Is it dangerous to have children that are our future watching criminals and all the negativity on TV? I believe the answer is yes. If we let children look up to these public figures what is to come in the future? We learn in behavioral psychology that children learn from copying others such as their parents. This
Director Michael Mann's Public Enemies is based on Bryan Burrough's book; Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-43.The film shows the deeds of the best of the best FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), in attempt of capturing the popular bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). This film captures history’s most astonishing sudden rise in the crime rate of American history which was the two year battle between J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Bonnie and Clyde. The last few years of Dillinger and his relationship with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) was also focused on in this film. John Dillinger became a hero to the American people. All in thanks to his disposition for robbing banks that many people believed were responsible for the Great Depression.
The question is should a successful criminal be viewed as a hero to today’s public? Many people in today’s culture do not look up to criminals as they once did in the past such as the 1930's. But movies such as Public Enemies with a 7 out of 10 rating are the most viewed and have the highest opening weekend gross income of $25,271,675. Does this mean that people today are interested in criminals, evil, and human depravity? At a young age we become curious of the world around us. Therefore our consciousness is drawn to what people see as wrong or deceitful when we become aware of our moral sense. This is why we are so intrigued by crime. This fact explains why so much of our popular entertainment is driven by narratives and plots dealing with crime, criminals, police and violence.
Is it dangerous to have children that are our future watching criminals and all the negativity on TV? I believe the answer is yes. If we let children look up to these public figures what is to come in the future? We learn in behavioral psychology that children learn from copying others such as their parents. This