Dillinger

Following the Kansas City Massacre in June 1933, FBI chief Melvin Purvis declares he will personally pursue the most dangerous outlaws. The vow marks a shift from large-scale campaigns to targeted, personal vendettas against the gang. The public is drawn into the drama as Purvis promises decisive action.

Dillinger remains boastful about his exploits as he operates with Homer Van Meter, Harry Pierpont, Charles Mackley, and others. The gang's confidence grows as they pull off robberies across the Midwest. The film frames this period as a public fascination with their outlaw image.

Dillinger visits a bar and robs the patrons to impress Billie Frechette, hoping to win her attention. She fails to recognize him, which underscores the glamor and danger surrounding the criminals. Billie becomes his lover and travels with the gang on subsequent heists.

Billie Frechette becomes Dillinger's lover and accompanies him on their exploits. Her presence adds a personal dimension to the gang's dangerous lifestyle. The relationship intensifies the stakes as law enforcement closes in.

During a robbery in East Chicago, the gang suffers losses and is forced to scatter, fracturing the crew. The loss of Mackley and other members weakens their cohesion. This setback tightens Purvis's growing pressure on the gang.

Purvis disposes of Underhill and Klutas and captures George Kelly, tightening the net on the organization. Dillinger still cannot be charged federally because his crimes have not yet violated a federal statute. The tension rises as Purvis shifts from pursuit to prosecutable enforcement.

Dillinger is captured by local authorities in Arizona and transported to Crown Point, Indiana, to face charges. The move places him behind bars and raises the stakes for his escape plans. The film builds anticipation for what will come next.

Dillinger carves a bar of soap into the shape of a gun and fools the guards, staging a dramatic breakout. He then crosses state lines, committing his first federal crime by driving a stolen car. The escape cements his reputation as a cunning, fearless outlaw.

Dillinger frees Reed Youngblood and reunites with the gang, now including Nelson and Floyd. The group embarks on a Midwest crime spree that unsettles Purvis and captivates the public eye. The pursuit intensifies as lawmen close in.

The gang robs a bank in Mason City, Iowa, triggering a violent shootout that results in Youngblood's death and wounding another member. The episode showcases the brutal costs of the outlaws' spree. Purvis and the authorities intensify their efforts afterward.

Hiding at the Little Bohemia lodge in Wisconsin, the gang becomes the target of a large FBI raid led by Purvis. The confrontation costs numerous agents' lives and scatters the gang once more. The raid marks a turning point that narrows Dillinger's support and disperses his group.

In Chicago, Purvis devises a plan to capture Dillinger with the help of Anna Sage, a brothel owner, who is promised protection from deportation. Sage's cooperation is instrumental in luring Dillinger toward a trap near the theater. The tension builds as the trap is put in motion.

Dillinger and Sage attend Manhattan Melodrama at the Biograph Theater. Purvis's team corners him when he goes for his gun, and Purvis shoots him in the alley. The capture marks the end of Dillinger's reign as a publicized outlaw.

Sage is deported despite Purvis's promises, and Purvis later commits suicide after retirement. Frechette dies penniless, and Dillinger's likeness is adopted for the FBI's target practice. The epilogue ties together the personal costs of the era's criminal pursuit.