Year of Release: 1949Country of Origin: USA
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly
Plot outline: A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist. Shortly after the plan takes place, events take a crazy turn (IMDb).
Based on a story by Virginia Kellogg, White Heat is considered one of the classic gangster, and the most explosive, movies that Cagney or anyone has ever played. The script has pulled all the stops in making this movie the acme of the gangster-prison movie. Cagney plays his role in a brilliantly graphic way, matching the pictorial vigor of his famous Public Enemy job. As the ruthless gang-leader in this furious and frightening account of train-robbery, prison-break, gang war and gun fighting with the police, Cagney indeed achieves the fascination of a brilliant bull-fighter at work, deftly engaged in the business of doing violence with economy and grace. His movements are supple and electric, his words are as swift and sharp as swords and his whole manner carries the conviction of confidence, courage and power. Cagney's performance is not the only one in this movie. Director Raoul Walsh gathers vivid acting from his whole cast: Virginia Mayo is excellent as the gangster's disloyal spouse - brassy, voluptuous and stupid to just the right degree. Edmond O'Brien does a slick job as a Treasury Department T-man who gets next to the gang-boss in prison and works into a place of favor in his mob. Steve Cochran is ugly as an outlaw, John Archer is stout as a Treasury sleuth and Margaret Wycherly is darkly invidious as the gangster's beloved old "Ma". Perhaps her inclusion in the story is its weakest and most suspected point, for the notion of Cagney being a "mama's boy" is slightly remote. And this motivation for his cruelty, as well as for his frequent howling fits, is convenient, perhaps, for novel action but not entirely convincing as truth. However, impeccable veracity is not the first purpose of this movie. It is made to excite and amuse people. And that it most certainly does. (NYT)
My judgement: ***1/2 out of 4 stars
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