The Last Gangster

The Last Gangster

Year: 1937

Runtime: 81 mins

Language: English

Director: Edward Ludwig

ThrillerCrimeDrama

After serving ten years behind bars, a hardened crime boss embarks on a desperate search for his estranged ex‑wife and teenage son. Unbeknownst to him, his former syndicate members have seized the child, hoping to coerce the boss into revealing the hidden stash of loot he buried before his imprisonment, setting up a deadly cat‑and‑mouse game.

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Timeline & Setting – The Last Gangster (1937)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Last Gangster (1937). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1927

Set in 1927, during the Prohibition era, the story unfolds amid a landscape of bootlegging, gangland feuds, and sensationalist press. The era’s harsh penalties and public fascination with crime shape the characters’ decisions and fates. This period backdrop underscores the collision between crime, media, and punishment.

Location

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, San Francisco Bay

The film centers on Alcatraz, the notorious island fortress where Joe Krozac serves a ten-year sentence for tax evasion. The penitentiary serves as a grim crucible for the characters' actions and consequences. Its remote, secure setting amplifies the themes of punishment, loyalty, and the inescapable pull of gangster life.

🔒 Prison 🗺️ Island setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

Main Characters – The Last Gangster (1937)

Meet the key characters of The Last Gangster (1937), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Joe Krozac (Edward G. Robinson)

A ruthless gangster who returns from Europe determined to reclaim his past and punish Talya. His arc centers on pride, a longing for kin, and a fatal need to dominate his world. He embodies a classic noir antihero whose redemption is tempered by violence.

🕵️ Crime 🎭 Drama

Talya Krozac (Rose Stradner)

Joe’s wife who becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle after his return. She seeks stability and a new life, ultimately divorcing Joe and marrying Paul North. Her journey reflects the era’s pressures on women within crime-ridden marriages.

👩‍🎤 Drama 💞 Family

Paul North Sr. (James Stewart)

A newspaper reporter who manipulates Talya for a sensational photo, then quits his job to pursue a relationship with her. His actions set off a chain of events affecting Talya’s future and the film’s moral landscape.

🕵️‍♂️ Crime 🎭 Drama

Paul North Jr. / Joe Krozac Jr. (Douglas Scott)

The child of Talya and Joe, a focal point of the power struggle between the old crime world and the new family. His existence underscores the collateral damage of gangster life and the fragile bond between generations.

👶 Family 🧭 Identity

Curly (Lionel Stander)

Krozac’s former associate who lures the gang into a trap to learn where the money is hidden. He embodies the calculating, treacherous side of organized crime that drives the plot’s twists.

🕵️‍♂️ Crime 💔 Betrayal

Acey Kile (Alan Baxter)

A rival gang member who taunts Krozac and embodies the era’s brutal, volatile crime. His threats intensify the conflict and push the narrative toward a deadly confrontation.

🕶️ Crime 💔 Betrayal

Fats Garvey (Edward Brophy)

A member of Krozac’s gang who carries out orders and participates in the criminal schemes. He represents the loyal manpower and potential expendability within a gangster operation.

🕵️ Crime 🎭 Drama

Casper (John Carradine)

An associate in the gang’s circle who helps maintain the underworld network. He contributes to the tense atmosphere and the ensemble feel of the criminal world.

🕵️ Crime 🎭 Drama

Sid Gorman (Frank Conroy)

San Francisco editor who embodies the press’s power to shape public perception. His refusal to publish Talya’s plea demonstrates the media’s influence over personal fates in the era.

🗞️ Media 🧭 Influence

Warden (Grant Mitchell)

The prison authority at Alcatraz who anchors the film’s exploration of punishment and reform. He represents the institutional forces that constrain or enable the characters’ movements.

🏛️ Institutions ⚖️ Justice

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

Major Themes – The Last Gangster (1937)

Explore the central themes of The Last Gangster (1937), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Justice

The film juxtaposes legal punishment with street justice, questioning whether true justice can emerge from a world ruled by criminals. Incarceration, police action, and the eventual outcomes for the gang members explore the limits of the law. The narrative probes how accountability can collide with personal redemption.

👨‍👦 Family

Family ties drive key decisions: Talya’s marriage to Joe, her later divorce, and the custody struggle over their son. The child embodies the legacy and consequences of a life of crime, complicating loyalties between lovers, parents, and former allies. The plot uses these bonds to test whether love can outpace a criminal past.

🕵️ Identity

Characters adopt new roles and faces to navigate danger and shame, mirroring a search for personal identity within a world of shifting loyalties. The intertwined fates of Joe, Talya, and Paul North Jr. highlight how people redefine themselves under pressure. The film uses disguise and reinvention to examine who people really are.

💔 Betrayal

Betrayal threads through gang dynamics and romantic entanglements, surfacing in traps, intimidation, and shifting alliances. Curly’s machinations and Acey’s threats heighten the sense that trust is a luxury in a world ruled by survival and greed. The story’s tragedies stem from choices made in the name of power, loyalty, or self-preservation.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

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The Last Gangster Summary

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The Last Gangster Timeline

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The Last Gangster Timeline

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The Last Gangster (1937) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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