Michael Mann is a great filmmaker and he normally makes really good choices. Public Enemies is set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as John Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script as well, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough.

The film is being headlined by Johnny Depp who will be playing Dillinger and Christian Bale who is playing Melvin Purvis, the legendary FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger in the early ’30s. It will also star Best Actress Oscar winner Marion Cotillard as well as Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff.

How then, to explain the casting of Leelee Sobieski as one of John Dillinger’s last girlfriends? Variety is reporting that Mann actually cast the once up and coming actress in the film. Why would you sully such a great cast by adding Leelee Sobieski? Have they not seen the work she’s done? I mean, I realize it’s been years since she’s actually done anything that anyone would have seen, but still…surely they can remember what it was like when she used to appear in movies and everyone would wonder why?

I can only assume that her character dies a horrible bloody death at the end of a tommy gun in this film or Michael Mann had a momentary lapse of judgment brought on by the excessive use of alcohol. I’m hoping it’s the former.

Public Enemies is set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as John Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough. Johnny Depp will be playing Dillinger while Christian Bale is set to play Melvin Purvis, the legendary FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger in the early ’30s.

Production on Public Enemies got underway in Chicago on March 10, 2008.

The film, is being headlined by Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, but also stars Marion Cotillard (hot off a Best Actress win at the Oscars for La Vie En Rose), Channing Tatum (also starring as Duke in GI Joe), Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, and Jason Clarke (nope, still not me).

Public Enemies is set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as John Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough. Johnny Depp will be playing Dillinger while Christian Bale is set to play Melvin Purvis, the legendary FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger in the early ’30s.

Production on Public Enemies got underway in Chicago on March 10, 2008. I believe these pictures were taken in downtown Columbus, Wisconsin.

The film, which is being headlined by Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, added Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, and Jason Clarke (no, that’s not me) to the cast.

With an Oscar nomination for her starring role in “La Vie En Rose,” Marion Cotillard is the talk of the town at the moment. Moving from an Oscar nominated film to a Michael Mann directed film starring two of Hollywood’s hottest actors is always a good move.

Channing Tatum nabs his second huge role of the week (and it’s only the first of the week) by landing a role in this film. He was also cast as Duke in the Stephen Sommers directed “G.I. Joe” movie. Tatum isn’t yet a household name but he’s a rising star that should make quite a name for himself if he continues to choose his roles wisely.

“Public Enemies” is set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as John Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough. Johnny Depp will be playing Dillinger while Christian Bale is set to play Melvin Purvis, the legendary FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger in the early ’30s.

The four guys who have joined the cast will all be playing members of Dillinger’s gang. Channing Tatum is Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd, Ribisi will be playing Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, Dorff will be Homer “Wayne” Van Meter, and Clarke is John “Red” Hamilton. Those four were part of a Dillinger gang that robbed banks all over the Midwest during the Depression. Cotillard will play Billie French, Dillinger’s main squeeze.

Production on “Public Enemies” is set to begin in Chicago on March 10, 2008.

Depp will play John Dillinger in this drama set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough.

“Public Enemies” was only one of several projects Mann had been considering (including a reteaming with “Collateral” star Tom Cruise on a film called “Edwin A. Salt”) until recent events pushed it to the forefront. Depp’s film, “Shantaram” was postponed by Warner Bros. due to script, cost, and locations concerns (they would have been shooting in India during monsoon season) and he apparently expressed no interest in stepping in Brad Pitt’s vacated role in “State Of Play” (later filled by Russell Crowe). With both parties available, the project got put on the front burners about six weeks ago and has now become a reality.