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Public Enemies (2009)

By Michael Schilf · October 2, 2010

Screenplay Genre: Biography / Crime / Drama

Movie Time: 140 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

As J. Edgar Hoover addresses the media, he declares the United States' first "War on Crime" and introduces Agent Melvin Purvis, who will run the field office in Chicago with his primary task to apprehend Public Enemy #1: John Dillinger. (00:19:05)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

When Billie agrees to leave her coat-check job and go back to Dillinger's hotel room, she accepts John's gift – a fur coat that symbolizes the engagement of their relationship. She is now officially "John's girl", and they're both locked-into the love affair. (00:33:10)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

After being arrested in The Hotel Congress and subsequently extradited to the Lake County Jail in Indiana, Dillinger – with a fake gun and the help of another inmate – escapes the jail, driving out in broad daylight – not a single shot fired. (1:00:51)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

After liberating Billie from 24-hour police observation and telling her he plans to commit one more score that will pay enough for the two to leave the country together, Dillinger drops her off at a "safe" hotel and helplessly watches as she is captured. (1:41:01)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Through a crooked cop Zarcovich – hired by Frank Nitti because Dillinger's crimes are motivating the feds to prosecute interstate crime, which puts Nitti's bookmaking racket at risk – Purvis enlists the help of madam Anna Sage to set up Dillinger, threatening her with deportation to Romania if she does not cooperate. (1:48:20)