The Beast of the City

The Beast of the City is a 1932 American PreCode gangster film featuring cops as vigilantes and known for its singularly vicious ending. Written by W.R. Burnett, Ben Hecht uncredited, and John Lee Mahin, and directed by Charles Brabin, the film stars Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford Jean Hersholt, and Tully Marshall.

The Beast of the City originated in consultations between MGM head of production Louis B. Mayer and President Herbert Hoover, who was concerned that the public needed to have greater respect for police officers and other lawenforcement officials. The original release included a prologue by Hoover, which was later edited out and then disappeared. The film was produced under the working title City Sentinels principal photography took place fromNovember to December 1931 at MGMs studios in Culver City.After the film was completed, Mayer decided that it was not quite right for MGMs image as the home of family entertainment, because it was too violent, despite its focus on lawandorder. Mayer ordered that it be exhibited as the bottom feature on double bills. The film was Jean Harlows opportunity to show MGM that she would cooperate with the studio, and she was rewarded with better roles which shortly would lead to stardom. ........

Source: Wikipedia