MovieChat Forums > The Public Enemy (1931) Discussion > Why were Tom and Matt not in the army?

Why were Tom and Matt not in the army?

posted 16 years ago by Altho73
4 replies | jump to latest

After the USA's entry into World War 1 in 1917 Mike Powers immediately volunteered and went into combat. But why were Tom Powers and Matt Doyle not required by the Army?

Were they too young? Unlikely as Tom and Matt looked older than eight in 1909!

Did their mobster friends get them out of it by threats and intimidation etc?

Were they given exemptions because their fathers were dead and they were needed to look after their families?

Anyone got any ideas???

[–] pmiano100 16 years ago

They more than likely had police records, which would have disqualified them. Also, they might have taken drugs to raise their blood pressure or gotten letters from corrupt doctors. Maybe they just didn't register. It was easy to get away with it back then.

[–] ajurieu 16 years ago

I don't think it was explicit. But my take when I watched it was that they found crime more profitable and found some way around it.

[–] marktayloruk 9 years ago

Perhaps they just weren't drafted.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5955) 3 years ago

The film suggests Tom didn't have to go because his brother enlisted.