The Town and The Public Enemy

There are basic elements when you are viewing a good crime based film. There has to be a heist, there has to be good and evil, and there must also be a sexy damsel. The two films that have these key ingredients are Public Enemy (1931) featuring James Cagney and Jean Harlow, and the other is The Town (2010) starring Ben Affleck and Jon Hamm. These two films, although created over 60 years apart tell the story of two men who are involved with the crime underworld. One man Tom Powers from Public Enemy embarks on his journey as a delinquent trying to make his way to top spot in the New York mob. On the other hand there is Doug McCray who has reached the end of his occupation of crime and has decided to leave his life of sin and runaway with his love interest Claire. Now both men have different demeanors setting their personalities far from similar, but their quests ultimately lead them away from crime.
Contrasting these films would be too easy, different times different crimes, one man kills the other steals. I have found a couple of similarities that might deem some insight. The villains in the story or the big bosses who help aid the character reach a more elite class of criminal, are both makers of their own demise. In Public Enemy Putty Nose was a small time crime boss who took the youth and lured them into the crime underworld. Tom Powers a young but never reluctant individual decided to do work for Putty until he is betrayed when Putty abandons him after a fur coat heist, this leads Tom to seek vengeance and kill Putty. The scene in the film is Tom’s ultimate character arc as he finally becomes the villain. In The Town Ben Afflecks character Doug had been working with Fergie a local florist by day, buy a savvy, no good, crime boss at night. Fergie has trained Doug to be a more efficient thief, just like his father. Business goes as usual until Doug calls it quits. Not allowing Doug to pull out of his last heist, Fergie divulges the truth about his mother and also threatens the life of his love interest Claire. Doug finishes the job then kills Fergie. Two films very similar outcomes of the antagonists.