In which 1931 gangster film did Edward G. Robinson play the title character?

In which 1931 gangster film did Edward G. Robinson play the title character? The answer is Little Caesar.

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy and released by Warner Bros., Little Caesar stars Robinson as Caesar Enrico “Rico” Bandello, a small-time hoodlum who climbs the ranks of organized crime. The character’s nickname supplies the title, echoing his grand ambitions and ruthless rise to power.

The screenplay adapted William R. Burnett’s 1929 novel Little Caesar. Robinson’s performance was a major breakthrough: his compact, forceful portrayal helped establish the screen image of the ambitious gangster and made him a leading star. The film is also regarded as one of the key early sound-era crime pictures.

A common mix-up is Scarface, another landmark gangster film from the same period. Howard Hawks’s Scarface was released in 1932 and starred Paul Muni, not Robinson. The Public Enemy, released in 1931, featured James Cagney, while Angels with Dirty Faces came later, in 1938.