Johnny Blake (played by Edward G. Robinson) is a protagonist in Bullets or Ballots.
A former NYPD detective who goes undercover as a mob accountant for crime boss Al Kruger. He secretly cooperates with Captain McLaren to dismantle the criminal syndicate, proposes a lucrative numbers racket, and ultimately assumes control of the organization to expose its shadowy banker masters before dying in a shootout. Lee Morgan (played by Joan Blondell) is a protagonist in Bullets or Ballots.
Johnny Blake's girlfriend who initially runs a small-scale numbers racket. Blake leverages her existing operation to propose a major expansion to Kruger, which becomes the primary revenue source for the mob and a key element of his undercover strategy. Al Kruger (played by Barton MacLane) appears in Bullets or Ballots.
A powerful crime boss who hires the disgraced detective Johnny Blake to help modernize his criminal enterprise. He trusts Blake's ideas, shifts the mob's focus to the numbers racket, but is eventually assassinated by Bugs Fenner in a power struggle. Bugs Fenner (played by Humphrey Bogart) appears in Bullets or Ballots.
A mob lieutenant who distrusts Blake and suspects he is a police informant. Frustrated by the shift to the numbers racket, he murders Kruger to seize control of the organization. His own produce racket is raided by police, leading to a fatal shootout with Blake.
Bullets or Ballots (1936) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Johnny Blake
(played by Edward G. Robinson) — protagonist
A former NYPD detective who goes undercover as a mob accountant for crime boss Al Kruger. He secretly cooperates with Captain McLaren to dismantle the criminal syndicate, proposes a lucrative numbers...
Lee Morgan
(played by Joan Blondell) — protagonist
Johnny Blake's girlfriend who initially runs a small-scale numbers racket. Blake leverages her existing operation to propose a major expansion to Kruger, which becomes the primary revenue source for t...
Al Kruger
(played by Barton MacLane) — supporting
A powerful crime boss who hires the disgraced detective Johnny Blake to help modernize his criminal enterprise. He trusts Blake's ideas, shifts the mob's focus to the numbers racket, but is eventually...
Bugs Fenner
(played by Humphrey Bogart) — supporting
A mob lieutenant who distrusts Blake and suspects he is a police informant. Frustrated by the shift to the numbers racket, he murders Kruger to seize control of the organization. His own produce racke...
Key Relationships
Bugs Fenner → Lee Morgan
(Conflict Rival Racketeer)
Lee Morgan → Al Kruger
(Professional Business Adoptee)
Al Kruger → Bugs Fenner
(Power Crime Boss & Lieutenant)
Johnny Blake → Bugs Fenner
(Conflict Suspected Informer)
Johnny Blake → Al Kruger
(Professional Undercover Hire)
Johnny Blake → Lee Morgan
(Romantic Girlfriend)
Story Analysis
A disgraced detective infiltrates a crime syndicate, navigating betrayal and violence to dismantle its shadowy leadership.
