Picture Snatcher (1933)

66% of users liked it
(188 ratings)

An admirably tough B-picture enlivened by an energetic James Cagney performance, Picture Snatcher stars Cagney as Danny Kean, a former gangster who has decided to go straight after a stretch in the big house. Danny has fallen for Patricia (Patricia Ellis), the daughter of the cop who put him away… More An admirably tough B-picture enlivened by an energetic James Cagney performance, Picture Snatcher stars Cagney as Danny Kean, a former gangster who has decided to go straight after a stretch in the big house. Danny has fallen for Patricia (Patricia Ellis), the daughter of the cop who put him away (Robert Emmett O'Connor). Dad isn't convinced that Danny has left his life of crime behind him, and he isn't too impressed with his new career taking pictures for a sleazy tabloid newspaper. Between getting a lurid photo of a fireman in front of a burning building (where his wife and her lover met their fate) and a daring shot of a woman being executed (based an actual incident when a New York Daily News photographer got a photo of Ruth Snyder in the electric chair), Danny's work is selling papers but hardly making Officer O'Connor think his daughter is in good hands (especially since he was in charge of press security for the execution). Short, sweet and sassy, Picture Snatcher is the sort of gutsy fare Warner Bros. did best in the 1930's; Ralph Bellamy turns in a great supporting performance as Danny's boozy editor. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 16 min.
Directed By: Lloyd Bacon
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: May 6, 1933 Wide
On DVD: Mar 25, 2008

Critic Reviews

David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
Like the best of these studio quickies, this one provides audiences with a little of everything, and the entertainment value is enormous.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Showing that sensationalist journalism is nothing new this breezy little number puts Cagney front and center as a con going straight even if it isn't in the most savory profession. The big difference is that Cagney is shown to have a conscience something that most of the bottom… More
Showing that sensationalist journalism is nothing new this breezy little number puts Cagney front and center as a con going straight even if it isn't in the most savory profession. The big difference is that Cagney is shown to have a conscience something that most of the bottom feeding slugs that invade peoples privacy today surely lack.
AJ V

I really liked this movie, it combines the gangster movies with the reporter movies, and adds some romance too. It's a great combination with a great cast, with Cagney as the main character. This is an exciting, fun, romantic, and sometimes humorous movie, and I highly… More
I really liked this movie, it combines the gangster movies with the reporter movies, and adds some romance too. It's a great combination with a great cast, with Cagney as the main character. This is an exciting, fun, romantic, and sometimes humorous movie, and I highly recommend it.
Michael G

Picture Snatcher seems to follow a trend with James Cagney movies in the 30s. He always plays an ex-con who manages to excel in whatever profession after going legit. The movie's got a fun cast, the dialogue's full of spunk and the story hints at plenty of darkness. Picture… More
Picture Snatcher seems to follow a trend with James Cagney movies in the 30s. He always plays an ex-con who manages to excel in whatever profession after going legit. The movie's got a fun cast, the dialogue's full of spunk and the story hints at plenty of darkness. Picture Snatcher is also a quick watch with plenty of fun moments even if its not required viewing.

Cast

            James Cagney as Danny Kean

            Ralph Bellamy as McLean

            Patricia Ellis as Patricia Nolan

            Alice White as Allison

            Ralf Harolde as Jerry

            George Pat Collins as Hennessy the Fireman

            Robert E. O'Connor as Casey Nolan

            Tom Wilson as Leo

            Robert H. Barrat as Grover

            Maurice Black as Speakeasy proprietor

            Stanley Blystone as Prison guard

            Don Brodie as Hood

            Hobart Cavanaugh as James Peters

            George Chandler as Reporter

            Cora Sue Collins as Little girl

            Gino Corrado as Barber

            George Daly as Machine gunner

            Jill Dennett as Speakeasy girl

            Dick Elliott as Editor

            Jack Grey as Cop

            Sterling Holloway as Journalism student

            John Ince as Captain

            Selmar Jackson as Record Editor

            Alice Jans as Colleen

            Donald Kerr as Mike Colleen's Boy Friend

            Milt Kibbee as Reporter outside prison

            Bob Perry as Bartender

            Barbara Rogers as Olive

            Vaughan Taylor as Editor

            Phil Tead as Reporter Strange

            Arthur Vinton as Head keeper

            Billy West as Reporter

            Renee Whitney as Connie

            Charles King as Sick reporter

            G. Pat Collins
            
            Robert Emmett O'Connor
            
See full cast