Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Little Caesar’?
Little Caesar

Little Caesar (1931)

tomatometer

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 0

audience

73

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 5,628

My Rating

Movie Info

The first "talkie" gangster movie to capture the public's imagination, Mervyn LeRoy's Little Caesar started a cycle of crime-related movies that Warner Bros. rode across the ensuing decade and right into World War II with titles such as All Through the Night (1941). At the start of the picture, Caesar Enrico "Rico" Bandello (Edward G. Robinson, made up to look a lot like the real-life Al Capone) and his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) are robbing a gas station -- later on, at a diner,

Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.

Drama, Classics

W.R. Burnett, Francis Edward Faragoh

Jan 25, 2005

Cast

All Critics (19) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (2) | DVD (10)

No director could ask for more than Edward G. Robinson's contribution. Here, no matter what he has to say, he's entirely convincing.

October 31, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Edward G. Robinson in the performance of his career.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Faded bronze to The Public Enemy's silver and Scarface's gold, but an enduring bedrock formation all the same

September 23, 2011 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comment
CinePassion

Little Caesar makes two classic LeRoy joints that I've found perfectly solid...and thoroughly underwhelming, especially when viewed through the prism of their reputations.

April 5, 2011 Full Review Source: Film and Felt | Comment
Film and Felt

Though it looks somewhat dated now, there's no denying the seminal importance of this classic adaptation of WR Burnett's novel.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Feels stilted when stacked up against its tougher depression-era contemporaries.

February 7, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

An overrated groundbreaker with a memorable lead performance, Little Caesar is only vital for the die-hard Warner Bros. gangster series completist.

February 7, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

Come for Rico, stay for Rico

January 27, 2005 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment
Filmcritic.com

One of the most popular and best received crime films ever.

January 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Today, Little Caesar looks a bit dated, but it's just as gripping as ever, and Robinson was never better.

January 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

Robinson's riveting performance earned him a permanent place in the history of cinema.

January 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

LeRoy's direction is terse, tough and tense, although some of the sound is crude by modern standards.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

Edward G. Robinson's classic portrayal makes this antique still work

July 30, 2002 Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

One of the most well-known and best of the early classical gangster films is Warner Bros.' Little Caesar (1930) - often called the grandfather of the modern crime film

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films | Comment
Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Little Caesar

Edward G. Robinson's place in cinematic history was made right here with his career-defining turn as the title character in this celebrated early gangster classic.He plays Caesar Enrico "Little Caesar" Bandello- a small time hood who rises from the lowest level all the way to the top in this tried and true variation on

April 16, 2007
cosmo313
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

A small time criminal moves to the big city and works his way up to become a criminal kingpin. One of the earliest portrayals of a criminal "dynasty", Little Caesar was also the big break for Edward G. Robinson. The star quality of he and an unusually immobile Douglas Fairbanks Jr. certainly shine through but like The

December 1, 2007
garyX
xGary Xx

Super Reviewer

    1. Rico Bandello: You didn't quit. Nobody ever quit me. You're still in my gang. You got that? I don't care how many fancy skirts you have hanging on to you. That jane's made a softy out of you.
    – Submitted by gerardo r (2 months ago)
    1. Rico Bandello: Ain't nobody gonna leave this room. You guys are invited to this private party.
    2. Machine Gunner: Suppose we don't want to stay.
    3. Rico Bandello: I wouldn't want to stop you for the world. Only these boys of mine have itching fingers.
    – Submitted by gerardo r (2 months ago)
    1. Rico Bandello: [Reading Newspaper] Underworld pays respects to Diamond Pete Montana.
    2. Joe Massara: Ah, what's that gotta do with the price of eggs?
    – Submitted by gerardo r (2 months ago)
    1. Rico Bandello: You can dish it out, but you got so you can't take it no more.
    – Submitted by gerardo r (2 months ago)
    1. Rico Bandello: Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?
    – Submitted by Tyler C (13 months ago)

Latest News for Little Caesar

What's Hot On RT

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

Red Tails, This Means War

The Words
The Words

Trailer: In bed with Zoe and Bradley

Amazing Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man

Video: Your friendly four minute preview

The We and the I
The We and the I

Latest trailer from Michel Gondry

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 21,944 taken
created 16 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 53,196 taken
created 19 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 32,333 taken
created 19 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 32,913 taken
created 18 months ago

Foreign Titles

  • Little Caesar (1931) (DE)
  • Little Caesar (1931) (UK)
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Mobile