Michael Mann's massively budgeted and heavily promoted "Public Enemies" was somewhat of a disappointment, at least to me personally, and thus I went searching for other cinematic versions of the John Dillinger/Melvin Purvis saga. I quickly came across this biopic and it immediately looked a lot more like my preference. "Dillinger" is an early 70's film (the best era for cinema), with a splendid cast and an incredibly violent character. I don't know why exactly, but back in the seventies they were better at re-creating the desolate and grim 1930's Depression Era than they are nowadays. The atmosphere and scenery used in "Dillinger" feels a lot more authentic than in "Public Enemies", despite the fact this AIP-production probably didn't even cost one tenth to make. The life- story of John Dillinger is well-known. He was an eloquent but dangerous bank robber in the Midwest area during the Depression era, but became particularly immortal when he was declared public enemy number one by the FBI and idolized by the newspapers and media. Dillinger always collaborated with loyal and almost equally infamous partners (Homer Van Meter, Harry Pierpont, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd) and wasn't ashamed to make public appearances with his girlfriend Billie. Melvis Purvis, head of the Chicago bureau and right hand of FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover, devoted himself to capturing and killing Dillinger and his gang. The film is narrated in a more or less chronological order, with the emphasis lying on Dillinger's ego and Purvis' personal vendetta. Most of the criticism towards "Dillinger" comes from people claiming the script, penned down by director John Milius, isn't always fully accurate. Probably so, but this merely concerns unessential details and – besides – if all movies based on true stories would be 100% accurate, they would be called documentaries instead. I believe the facts are only slightly altered and that strictly for entertainment purposes. The bank robberies and shootouts naturally form the highlights of the movie. They are quite extended and very, VERY violent. Multiple cops and robbers are literally perforated with machine gun ammunition and John Milius blatantly depicts the bloody carnage of these battles. The soundtrack is great and very apt, with "The Gold Diggers' Song" and "Happy Days are Here Again". The casting is extraordinary. With his rough looks and almost naturally criminal charisma, Warren Oates is the best imaginable choice ever to play John Dillinger. If you look up some pictures of the real John Dillinger, you'll be stunned by the resemblance he bears with Warren Oates. I love Johnny Depp and all, but this role belongs to Oates forevermore. Ben Johnson is terrific as FBI man Melvin Purvis and Michelle Phillips (1/4th of "The Mamas and the Papas") is quite convincing in her film debut as the love-interest Billie. Furthermore there are several fantastic supportive roles for Harry Dean Stanton (one of the most underrated actors ever) as Homer Van Meter, Geoffrey Lewis as Harry Pierpont and a very young and hardly recognizable Richard Dreyfuss as the ill-tempered and nasty Baby Face Nelson.
