. . . seems to be the moral of BULLETS OR BALLOTS. This movie features tons of bullets, but there's not a single ballot in sight. Humphrey Bogart as Nick "Bugs" Fenner fires many of the bullets, but not quite enough. He fancies himself to be some sort of a "Dead-Eye Dick," specializing in the single-shot assassination. Apparently, the Mob had yet to adopt their current slogan, "Three in the head makes sure they're dead" (as long as the bullets themselves are not past their "Use by" date, like the six that failed to kill one of my classmates when her husband tried to gun her down). If BULLETS had come out three years earlier, Bugs may have enjoyed a plausible and well-deserved happy ending. But most Americans know that the Pope had the final say on who lived and who died in ALL U.S. flicks released from 1934 through 1954, as I was just reminded by a National Public Radio program yesterday. So instead of the perceptive realist Bugs triumphing, it's the low-down weasel snitch cowardly two-faced toad-like "Johnny" getting the last laugh. If I'm not mistaken, the same guy who was pals with Mussolini and turning over Jews to Hitler signed the death warrant for Bugs. It's some world, Huh?

The plot of this one has such a familiar ring (in fact it is probably the most commonly used ploy of the gangster film), we find ourselves hoping against hope that Robinson is really the disgruntled cop he seems. The fact that his word has been his bond for thirty years on the force, doesn't seem to worry him unduly except as it affects Kruger, but this moral dilemma is neatly removed from the script before it can be put to the test. Otherwise the film is a very stylish exercise in the genre, though fans may be a bit disappointed by the quick demise of the principal thugs and the film's downbeat ending.Keighley's use of camera-work is much more fluid here than usual with dizzying crane shots and a memorably fast tracking shot as Bogart's car speeds alongside an enormous line of freight wagons being raided by police. The film is also another example of Warner Brothers craftsmanship par excellence, with splendid montage routines of meticulously mocked-up newspaper headlines (quick readers will notice that the story continues below the headlines — there is nothing cheap about production values in a Warner Brothers film), lavish sets peopled with hundreds of extras, driving, fast-paced direction, atmospheric photography (love the way Bogart's face is often lit with vertical bars and shadows to make him see even more menacing), sharp film editing and some of the best and most proficient players in the business.Bogart in his first film after Petrified Forest, gives a memorable yet characteristic impression of a shrewd, sly, cynical, trusting no-one, ambitious yet not over-bright thug; while Barton MacLane holds up his end, helped by Miller's literate dialogue, to give a portrayal of some depth as the crime boss. Robinson is his usual bluff, free-wheeling self (though it's a bit hard to believe in his physical prowess, he is such a small man compared to Joseph King, William Pawley and Norman Willis!) Surprisingly, Despite her prominence in the cast list, Miss Blondell does not play a major part in the proceedings (she is none too flatteringly photographed either). Frank McHugh also, fortunately, has a minor role (his comedy routines are slow and unrealistically drawn out). The other roles are most competently played. Henry Kolker makes an impression as the glad-handing Hollister and George E. Stone is effective in a small role as one of Bogart's henchmen.

William Keighley directed this exciting police vs. gangsters tale that sees Edward G. Robinson star as Johnny Blake, who goes undercover to crack open the numbers racket run by old friend Al Kruger(played by Barton Maclane). Al believes Johnny's cover story about a falling out with the new police commissioner, but Al's chief henchman Bugs Fenner(played by Humphrey Bogart) does not, but can't convince the boss of this, leading to conflict, and the inevitable showdown. Well-acted and compelling look at the numbers racket of this era has aged reasonably well, with Robinson being just as convincing playing good as he does evil, though his fate ends up the same...

This turned out to be a decent '30s gangster movie, not a lot different from a few others I've seen where Humphrey Bogart plays the bad guy and is the main adversary of the hero. Several films had James Cagney up against him; here it was Edward G Robinson.Robinson plays policeman "Det. Johnny Blake," who goes underground, so to speak, by posing as a gang member to get the goods on them. (It's based on a real-life character.) Robinson, as usual, is very interesting to watch and is a tough guy BUT with a soft heart. In fact, he even feels bad about betraying the head crook because he has such principles of being a "straight shooter" that he doesn't feel right lying to anybody, even the gang leader "Al Krueger" (Barton MacLane). Bogart plays "Nick Fenner," Al's number-one guy and is more of the villain than his boss. Joan Blondell gets second billing but that's not right because she's at least fourth in the amount of screen time and lines. There really is no real love interest in this movie; it's strictly a crime story.When I first saw this movie, a little over a decade ago on VHS, I wasn't that impressed but last week, watching this on DVD, not only was the story better than I remembered but the picture was excellent. The blacks, whites and grays in here are beautiful. This was part of the "Tough Guys" DVD package and they did a wonderful job on the transfer.