The Beast of the City

Police Chief Jim Fitzpatrick ruthlessly goes after organized crime and is prepared to use brutal and violent methods to fight it. Police Chief Jim Fitzpatrick is fighting gangster Sam Belmonte. He asks his dishonest brother Ed to keep an eye on Daisy who was connected with Belmonte. —Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu> Police Captain Jim Fitzpatrick (Walter Huston) is a dedicated family man and crime fighter not averse to using violence to fight violence. Although he's been demoted for political reasons, public outcry forces the mayor to take more aggressive action against sleazy gang boss Sam Belmonte (Jean Hersholt), who and Fitzpatrick is promoted to police chief. His younger brother, Police Detective Ed Fitzpatrick (Wallace Ford), allows himself to be seduced by a languorously sexy Belmonte gang moll, Daisy (Jean Harlow), and needs money to continue the relationship. Frustrated when his principled brother will not promote him, he betrays Jim's trust by conspiring with Belmonte's henchmen in a truck hijacking that results in the deaths of a child and another police officer. After a crooked lawyer is able to get those guilty off on all charges, Ed tells the anguished Jim that he feels guilty and that he wants to go to the newspapers about Belmonte. Jim says he should tell Belmonte that at Belmonte's celebration party, and Jim will bring police in case there is an altercation. Before leaving home, Jim checks his life insurance and bank-account book. Ed enters the party; Belmonte and guests are insulting Jim, including a mannequin dressed as Jim. He slaps Belmonte, and Jim and police enter. Cholo (J. Carrol Naish) says he will kill Ed if Jim goes further; Ed defies Cholo, and Cholo shoots him. After the guests flee, a huge gun battle erupts between the police and gangsters; everyone dies, including Daisy, hit by a stray bullet. The dying Jim takes Ed's hand, as a flashback shows Jim reciting his oath as police chief to uphold the law.