G Men was made as part of a deliberate attempt by the Warners to counteract what many political and business leaders claimed was a disturbing trend of glorifying criminals in the early 1930s gangster film genre.

[citation needed] Although the gangster films were typically presented as moral indictments of organized crime where the criminal protagonist inevitably died, they nevertheless depicted a life of freedom, power and luxury enjoyed by gangsters in the midst of a real-life economic crisis.

Foremost of these films were Little Caesar, the original Scarface, and perhaps the most memorable, The Public Enemy, in which Cagney portrayed street tough Tom Powers, the role that catapulted him to stardom.

What was deemed most objectionable about these films was that law enforcement was typically portrayed as either impotent in the face of crime, or, as with Public Enemy, akin to a derelict and largely absentee father shirking his duty.

This scene depicts a senior agent (played by David Brian) introducing a screening of the film to a group of FBI recruits so that they may learn about the Bureau's history.

One year after graduation, New York City lawyer James "Brick" Davis has no clients because he refuses to compromise with his ideals and integrity.

He bids farewell to his mentor, "Mac" MacKay, a mob boss who financed his education to keep Davis on the right side of the law.

Davis then tries to resign from the department but McCord talks him out of it by reminding him that McKay's death wasn't his fault and asks him to stay on.

Davis bolts from his hospital bed, has some final words for the dying Jean, sneaks inside the garage and rescues Kay.