The Beast of the City 1932

Police Captain Jim Fitzpatrick is a dedicated family man and a pragmatic crime fighter, not afraid to use violence to fight violence. Although he has been demoted for political reasons, public outcry pushes the mayor to back stronger action against the sleazy gang boss Sam Belmonte, and Jim is promoted to police chief.

His younger brother, Ed Fitzpatrick, a detective, becomes entangled in Belmonte’s world after being drawn to his glamorous ally, Daisy Stevens. Ed longs for the money to sustain the affair, and when Jim resists any promise of a promotion, Ed betrays his brother by joining Belmonte’s henchmen in a truck hijacking that results in the deaths of a child and another police officer.

A crooked lawyer manages to get the guilty off on all charges, deepening Jim’s sense of injustice. Ed then confesses his guilt and reveals he wants to take the mounting trouble to the newspapers, pressing Jim to act. Jim proposes that Ed reveal everything at Belmonte’s celebration party, with the promise that the police will move in if needed. Before leaving for the night, Jim checks his life insurance and bank-account book, a quiet reminder of the stakes surrounding his work.

Ed attends the party, where Belmonte and his guests insult Jim, even dressing a mannequin to resemble him. He slaps Belmonte, and Jim, accompanied by the police, enters the room. Pietro Cholo warns that he will kill Ed if Jim pushes further, but Ed refuses to back down. A brutal gun battle erupts between the police and Belmonte’s gang; in the chaos, Daisy Stevens is killed by a stray bullet, and the room becomes a scene of violence and despair. The fighting ends with the deaths of many, including Daisy, while the dying Jim takes Ed’s hand. A flashback reveals Jim reciting his oath as police chief to uphold the law, even unto his last breath.