First Poster for ‘Public Enemies’

Published by Jeff Leins on March 3, 2009

Universal has released the first poster for Michael Mann’s Public Enemies due in theaters July 1, 2009. The story is based in the 1930s, but last time Mann tackled rivals on either side of the law the world was treated to the brilliance of Heat. While it’s no early Pacino/De Niro match-up, he’s assembled some of the best talents working today. Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, and the under-appreciated Giovanni Ribisi. Plus “Lost” veteran Emilie de Ravin, Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum, and Leelee Sobieski. Great cast for what I can only imagine will be a great movie. At the very least I hope it brings those sweet hats back in style.

Poster pictured right. Click to enlarge it to full size. You can also take a look at new images from the film courtesy of MSN. Check them out for lots of Tommy gun action.

Here is the official plot synopsis:
The film follows the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp)—the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public.

No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone—from his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard) to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression.

But while the adventures of Dillinger’s gang—later including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham) and Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi)—thrilled many, Hoover (Billy Crudup) hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw’s capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America’s first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing “Clark Gable of the FBI.”

However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis’ men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents) and orchestrating epic betrayals—from the infamous “Lady in Red” to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti—were Purvis, the FBI and their new crew of gunfighters able to close in on Dillinger.