The Little Giant

The Little Giant

Year: 1933

Runtime: 76 mins

Language: English

Director: Roy Del Ruth

CrimeComedy

As Prohibition ends, bootlegger Bugs Ahearn aims for respectable California society. He rents a house from down‑on‑her‑luck Ruth and makes her his social secretary. After rescuing Polly Cass from a horse‑fall, he meets her father, who sells him fake stock certificates. Realizing he's been duped, Bugs calls the Chicago mob for help.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Little Giant (1933)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Little Giant (1933). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

October 1990

The movie is set in October 1990, a period marked by a transitional era in law enforcement technology and forensic analysis. The early 90s also reflect social concerns about crime rates, especially regarding serial killers and urban violence. The time period influences the characters' attitudes, technology used, and the overall atmosphere of suspense and investigation.

Location

Los Angeles, Kern County

Los Angeles is a sprawling city known for its entertainment industry, diverse culture, and iconic landmarks. Kern County, located nearby, features desert landscapes and is less densely populated, providing a stark contrast to LA's urban environment. The setting shifts between the bustling city and the quieter, gritty outskirts, emphasizing themes of contrast and hidden darkness.

🌆 Urban 🎨 Artistic 🚗 Southern California

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:46

Main Characters – The Little Giant (1933)

Meet the key characters of The Little Giant (1933), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Deke (Joe) Deacon (Denzel Washington)

A former detective battling personal demons and a past trauma that led to a breakdown. Deke is obsessive, haunted by his failure to save victims, and driven by a desire for redemption. His experience and intuition make him a relentless investigator, despite his internal struggles.

🧠 Experienced 🔎 Haunted 💔 Broken

Jimmy Baxter (Rami Malek)

A young, ambitious detective eager to prove himself. Jimmy is determined but struggles with doubts about his methods and the moral limits of investigation. His relationship with Deke is complex, mixing respect with internal conflict over the case's darker aspects.

🎯 Determined 🧍‍♂️ Ambitious ⚖️ Moral conflict

Albert Sparma (Jared Leto)

A suspect with a fascination for serial killers, seemingly manipulative and cunning. Albert's ambiguous innocence and disturbing fixation on the case make him a psychologically complex character. His interactions with law enforcement reveal his manipulative and unsettling traits.

🧠 Manipulative 😈 Creepy 🕵️ Suspicious

Ronda Rathbun (Maya Kazan)

A young woman whose mysterious disappearance prompts the investigation. She appears to be an ordinary person caught in extraordinary circumstances, embodying vulnerability and lost innocence. Her case is pivotal in revealing the darker elements of the narrative.

👧 Vulnerable 🔎 Mysterious 🎭 Symbolic

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:46

Major Themes – The Little Giant (1933)

Explore the central themes of The Little Giant (1933), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔍 Obsession

The film explores the obsessive nature of detectives when pursuing serial killers, highlighting how personal trauma and past failures influence their methods. Deke's haunted history fuels his relentless pursuit of the truth, illustrating how obsession can both solve and complicate crime-solving.

🧩 Truth and Deception

The movie delves into the theme of truth versus deception, both in the investigation process and within the characters' personal lives. The cover-up of evidence, Jimmy's internal struggle, and Deke's sacrifices reflect the complex nature of uncovering truth amid moral ambiguity.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:46

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about obsessive detectives like in The Little Giant

Stories where a detective's obsession with a case becomes a personal downfall.If you liked The Little Giant's portrayal of a haunted detective, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar crime stories and psychological thrillers where investigators become personally and dangerously obsessed with their pursuit of justice.

obsessivetensegrippingpsychologicaldarkunsettlingmorally complex

Narrative Summary

These narratives follow a character, often a detective, whose dedication to solving a crime turns into a consuming fixation. The pursuit is punctuated by tense cat-and-mouse dynamics, moral compromises, and the unraveling of the protagonist's own psyche, typically leading to an emotionally heavy and ambiguous resolution.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by a central character arc of obsession, a tense and gripping atmosphere, and a shared focus on the psychological cost of seeking justice. They often feature high-intensity investigations that challenge the protagonist's morality.

Bleak crime stories with moral ambiguity like The Little Giant

Crime stories where the pursuit of justice leads to morally questionable actions.Fans of The Little Giant's morally complex narrative will appreciate these similar movies. Discover gritty crime films and psychological thrillers like it, where justice is ambiguous and the endings are unsettling and thought-provoking.

moral ambiguitydarktenseunsettlinggrittypsychologicalbleak

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a central crime that exposes the flawed morality of all involved, including those seeking justice. The story builds tension through ethical dilemmas and cover-ups, rather than simple heroics, culminating in an ambiguous conclusion that questions the very nature of the outcome.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared exploration of moral ambiguity, their dark and tense tone, and their preference for unresolved, unsettling endings over clean resolutions. They prioritize psychological depth and ethical questions within the crime genre.

Unlock the Full Story of The Little Giant

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Little Giant in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Little Giant is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Little Giant Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Little Giant, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Little Giant Summary

The Little Giant Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Little Giant with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Little Giant Timeline

The Little Giant Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Little Giant that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

The Little Giant Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Little Giant

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Little Giant: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Little Giant

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