Director Michael Mann's (Heat, Hancock) latest movie, Public Enemies, opens nationwide today. The movie, a period piece that was shot in many of the actual locations for events fictionalized in the movie, recounts the manhunt for notorious bank robber John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), Special Agent with the FBI.
Mann has credited the generous incentives offered by the state of Wisconsin at the time of filming as part of the reason behind his decision to film there for six weeks. According to a recent interview with Bale, working with Mann was one of his incentives for signing up for Public Enemies:
Michael Mann is one of the finest filmmakers around. His ability to excel at all aspects of filmmaking is stunning. I loved his thoroughness.
I loved the research and his attention to detail. This is a director who has a unique perception of what every actor is doing at all moments.
However, it wasn't just the chance to work with a four-time Academy Sward-nominated director that appealed to Bale; he liked the guns, as well:
It was the last dying breath of the guns that had some character to them. I know the guns we have nowadays are absolutely fatal and have incredible precision. But back in this era, you had the guns where you could smell the shots afterwards.
I have to say that I enjoyed carrying them around with me.