Crime (1927)
The thug-belabored Manhattan, Playwrights Samuel Shipman and John Hymer brought comfort. Your real criminal, they divulged, never shoots in the head or abdomen for death, but merely in the arm or leg for legitimate profit. Eugene Fenmore (James Rennie), head of a high-principled gang plans his "jobs" in evening clothes, with the nicety of the inspired artist. While police are decoyed to the scene of a set-up brawl next door, his men rifle Goldberg's jewelry store in full sight of a pop-eyed audience. All would have been decent, had not Rocky Morse (Chester Morris), first assistant safecracker, proved disobedient and plugged the doubly unfortunate Goldberg in the forbidden parts. For this treacherous, unwarranted homicide, Director-General Fenmore plugs Rocky. Two young innocents become entangled in the brutal but inept police proceedings. To save them, Fenmore tells all, proving he has a heart of gold and a sense for tabloid headlines. It is the sort of play that sends small boys and big boys out of the theatre hoping some day to work up to the nobility of banditry. It is, unhappily, uncensorable.
