8. Stephen Graham as Baby Face Nelson – Public Enemies
It’s not officially a gangster movie until British actor Stephen Graham has a part. Starring alongsideJohnny Depp in Public Enemies, Graham plays Baby Face Nelson, real name Lester Gillis, who was an American bank robber during the 1930s. He was known as “Baby Face” due to his youthful appearance and lack of height.
John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp, was a notorious bank robber who had broke into over twenty vaults. When he was imprisoned, it was Baby Face Nelson who broke him out and the two went into partnership. Shortly after this time, their new gang became the number one public enemy. During bank robberies, Baby Face and his gang would often shoot like mad-men at anyone who could be seen as getting in their way. He killed many people, including the most number of FBI agents which was three in total.
Nelson died very differently in real-life than in Public Enemies but he certainly did go out with a bang. In 1934, he was surrounded by FBI agents who opened fire. He was shot in the stomach, the bullet slicing through his liver and pancreas before exiting out of his back. Despite his fatal injuries, he walked towards the agents firing his own shots back at them. Before he managed to escape in a getaway car, he had been shot a total of seventeen times. He told those with him “I’m done for” and instructed them to drive to a nearby safe house where he died in bed beside his wife.
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