This film was slower and calmer than I expected from a gangster flick, especially one that was pre-Code, but it was very good nonetheless. The importance and pull of this film comes from the cinematography techniques and allusions. I found myself noticing creative usage of angles, one that especially comes to mind is when you see characters talking to someone out of the shot (which I had not seen in a movie from this era before). Scenes faded and transitioned well, not jarringly, which other films from this time have a tendency have a tendency to do. And using inner monologue to display what someone is thinking, so innovative! Overall, a fine movie with innovative techniques used.

Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sydney play magnificent roles in this gangster/romantic film. The love between them was what kept me watching. Near the beginning she wants him to be successful and have money, but once she realizes how lucky she is that he's not involved in any gangs she wants it to stay that way. Things like that always seem to turn around. Their acting was phenomenal and she delivered all the scenes perfectly like she was really in the moment. Her facial expressions and close ups are what really made me fall in love with her character. She's very hostile towards the gangsters, "red hot." I loved that feisty personality.

This was an extremely stylish film. The cinematography, while a bit amateurish and constrained by today's standards, does a good job of establishing a dreary yet slick feeling. Gary Cooper is very captivating as "The Kid," and the rest of the cast does an admirable job as well. I would say that some of the outdoor scenes weren't very well lit, which did detract from my enjoyment somewhat as I think it wasn't a style choice so much as poor shot composition. At other times, especially indoors or in nighttime scenes, the lighting is much better. Another complaint I have was that the ending was a bit abrupt and bland. Other than that, I enjoyed watching it.

I've only seen a couple of Sylvia Sidney's early films, but they all seem to feature at least one closeup of her face that reveals what's really going on in the picture. In Hitchcock's "Sabotage," there's a fascinating shot of her working at a theater box office when a guy she likes suddenly shows up unannounced. Hitchcock went in tight on her face as it slowly changes from a blank expression to a glow of sheer joy. I've never seen anything like it in any other film. And here, in "City Streets," the director dollies in and lingers on her face for a full minute while Hollywood cinema's first "voiceover" tells us what's going on in her thoughts. But really, the words are superfluous, because her brown, luminous eyes tell us everything. Sidney was perhaps too exotic and unconventional to compete for major stardom with the Clara Bow flappers and Jean Harlow blonds of her time. She was also difficult to get along with, according to some sources. But she is more timeless than most. Dashiell Hammett, who wrote "City Streets," said she was the best part of the movie. For me, she's the best part of any movie she's in.