As popular as the classic gangster movies were in their heyday, they still hold power over their audiences today. Explore the invention and development of the crime genre from the turn of the century to the silent era to the rise of the great Warner Bros. stars and directors. The films themselves and the influence they had on filmmakers all over the world and the artistic merit these defining classic films still warrant. Learn about the effect of Prohibition, Censorship, the Depression and World War II on the rise of criminality in society, and its subsequent reflection seen on-screen.