Is the movie Public Enemies (2009) based on a true story?

Yes, Public Enemies (2009) is based on a true story. It tells the story of notorious bank robber John Dillinger and his run-ins with the law during the Great Depression era. The film is based on author Bryan Burrough’s book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34.

What is the true story behind the movie Public Enemies (2009)?

Public Enemies is a biographical American crime film directed by Michael Mann and stars Johnny Depp, Marion Cotillard, Christian Bale, and many others. The movie explores the life of notorious gangster John Dillinger, who was the most infamous bank robber in the U.S. during the Great Depression era.

The movie is based on the book “Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34” by Bryan Burrough. In the early 1930s, John Dillinger and his gang members were on a crime spree robbing different banks, the crime wave that lasted quite a long time which drew attention from the FBI.

The movie mainly focuses on Dillinger’s relationship with his girlfriend, Billie Frechette, and the chase and efforts made by the FBI to bring him and his gang down. The movie also portrays the rivalry between J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and Melvin Purvis, the lead investigator in the case against Dillinger.

In reality, Dillinger was a notorious criminal who was responsible for several bank robberies, murders, and jailbreaks. He was eventually killed by FBI agents outside a movie theater in Chicago in 1934. The movie largely stays true to the real-life events but some details are dramatized for the sake of storytelling.

Are there any books about the true story behind the movie Public Enemies (2009)?

Yes, there are several books about the true story behind the movie Public Enemies (2009):

1. Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 by Bryan Burrough
2. John Dillinger: The Life and Death of America’s First Celebrity Criminal by Dary Matera
3. Melvin Purvis: G-Man, Manhunter, and Peacemaker by Jeffery S. King
4. Baby Face Nelson: Portrait of a Public Enemy by Roger A. Bruns

These books offer a more detailed and factual account of the events and people depicted in the movie.

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