Al Capone was said to have been such a fan that he owned a print of this Paleozoic biopic, yet in the era prior to home video, this pre-code wonder was virtually impossible to see...legally. Shot in 1931, censorship issues kept it out of public view for almost two years. The film was banned in so many states that producer Howard Hughes withdrew it from distribution, where it remained until his death in 1976. A film history professor did me an eternal solid by tracking down a 16mm rental dupe that I binge-projected six times in one week. It was the single greatest learning experience of my collegiate life. Every shot, every movement is there to advance and inform the action. As Tony Camonte, Paul Muni’s jagged contortions fit director Howard Hawks’ abstract design like a missing puzzle piece. François Truffaut famously reported that Hawks purposely directed Muni “to make him look like a monkey.” And any guy who loves his sister as much as Tony does can’t be all bad. Were I allowed to take 20 films with me on my journey to hell, this would be one of them. — Scott Marks