Little Caesar, often called the grandfather of the gangster movie, was produced at the beginning of the sound era and while in some areas it shows its age it is still and efficient and well-paced thriller. The film charts the rise of Rico (Robinson) form small-time crook up through the gangster hierarchy. His naked ambition and brutality enable him to supplant one crime boss after another but he seems insatiable in his quest for power and the dubious respect of the demi-monde.

Robinson is convincing as the rising gangster boss with no humanity, only ruthless determination to climb to the top of the tree, no matter who he has to kill on the way. With his "ugly mug" , Robinson was an unlikely screen star, but in this film he found his forte as the short hood looking for respect and he gives an expressive and entertaining performance.

Technically Little Caesar is quite basic b;y modern standards but he fast moving pace and gritty subject matter was new to audiences of the time. So much so that it effectively launched the gangster genre, even without the explicit violence and colorful slang that wold later become such vital components. Despite the lack of on-screen violence there is no doubting how dangerous and amoral Rico actually is. This seminal mob flick is a must for all fans of the gangster movies, and if vintage flicks aren't normally your thing, it's worth watching just to see where all those cliches started.