White Heat (1949)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A Brilliant Conflict

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

I think James Cagney's body of work is something to be very proud of and his loyal fans like myself are glad he made so many great films. Having said that I have watched this film three (3) times now and I just never got that good feeling that sometimes comes over me after watching a great crime film classic like (1972) The Godfather, (2015) Black Mass, (2012) The Iceman, and/or (1993) A Bronx Tale. I realize that I may be in the minority with my opinion but the film left me looking for quite a bit more in Cagney's mob boss character Cody Jarrett. The fixation with his "ma" was creative but for example, the scene in which Cody is in prison and whispers at the prison meal table to the guy sitting next to him who just got outside news that Cody's "ma" is dead was just so over the top that I found it to be too comical. I just could not see a mob boss after finding out his adorable "ma" is dead would scream out loud and literally crawl across the prison dinner table without anyone trying to stop him for acting like a big baby.I loved Virginia Mayo's portrayal as the selfish and beautiful blonde gun moll Virginia, wife of Cody Jarrett whose facial expressions when she observes the interactions between Cody and his mom provide us with her disdain for their relationship. No doubt, the film ending is a classic and extremely well done. I just was not so impressed with the other 110 minutes of the film.

The quintessential tough guy, James Cagney is always a joy to watch on film. Possibly his most famous film, White Heat, a Raoul Walsh feature from 1949, Cagney stars as a cold seemingly heartless criminal who reserves a soft spot for only one person, his mother. Also starring Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien, White Heat has become a seminal crime drama and film noir classic, and for good reason. A reinvention of his tough-guy characters of years past, James Cagney seamlessly reintroduces the audience to his unique brand of Hollywood tough guy.Maniacal, intense, and frightening are just a few words one can use to describe Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) the ruthless leader of a gang of criminals. Despite his marriage to Verna Jarrett (Virginia Mayo), Cody is loyal to only one person, his mother. Ma Jarrett (Margaret Wycherly) is the epicenter of Cody Jarrett, she is his safe place; the only place he can escape the world and be shielded from all that triggers his neuroses. Cody suffers from bouts of erratic behaviors that begin as headaches and are thought to have been passed down to him from his father who passed away in a mental institution. These bouts of hysteria make the henchmen members of Cody's gang nervous, and they begin to plot for an "accident" to happen to Cody. After a messy yet successful robbery, they may get their chance. Cody's name is uttered in a train robbery resulting in many murders, including the one in his gang who revealed his name, and the Jarrett gang is having trouble escaping the police interest. Cody decides that the best way to avoid the police hunting for his gang is to confess to a crime committed in Illinois at the same time as the train robbery. This confession should be a win- win for Cody, he will only spend 2 years in jail, avoid a certain gas chamber death, and be able to build additional criminal contacts while in prison. Simultaneously police, unconvinced that Cody was actually responsible for the crime in Illinois, have arranged for an undercover officer to be bunked with Cody through his prison stay. Vic Pardo (Edmond O'Brien) is the name taken by the undercover officer whose sole purpose is to get close to Cody and get enough information to implicate Cody for the train robbery. Everything is going smoothly until Cody finds out his mother has been killed. The only person that could calm Cody Jarrett's demons is gone and Cody is set on seeking revenge for her death. Cody organizes a prison break-out, along with Vic Pardo, to avenge his mother's death, and execute one more great heist.No review of White Heat would be complete without discussing the acting talent of its synonymous star. James Cagney was the perfect everyman tough guy; his stature was short and unopposing, meaning that all of the fear he would need to bring to the audience was reliant upon his acting. After about 10 minutes into the film, you definitely fear Cagney's Cody Jarrett. Cagney had an extremely facially expressive face, oftentimes, actors that rely on their facial expressions to carry their acting come off like they're just chewing the scenery. It can be distracting to watch an actor with an expressive face, but Cagney never falls into that trap, rather, the expressiveness of his face goes a long way to building who is character is. For instance, the best part of Cody Jarrett's character, a testament to the exceptional acting of James Cagney, is the controlled method he uses to keep his neuroses restrained. Cody knows he has a propensity toward psychotic episodes, he is not in denial about that, in order to keep his gang going, he must keep this psychosis under control. Without his mother, Cagney's security erodes and his psychosis is unable to be controlled bringing audiences the most thrilling decline of a man in cinema history, all thanks to Cagney's brilliant execution. Raoul Walsh is certainly responsible for much of what is great about White Heat, as well. The score was a fantastic selection, taking on a character of its own, accentuating the mental processes of Cagney's Cody Jarrett. The telephone scene and the following fit of grief in which Cody finds out about his mother's death was cinematic brilliance. When Cody surprises his gang after breaking out of prison and the light shines on his face upon opening the door and catching his wide with an associate of his is a scene that will stay with the audience long after the film ends. Nearly 70 years after its release, White Heat is in a class of its own, on top of the world.

WHITE HEAT is a gangster movie, which is characterized by very attractive scenery and explosive dynamics. Noir in every sense of the word. Already washed model with femme fatale and deranged gangster does not cause major damage. Fans of thrillers can be satisfied also. The story is very cruel, but the emotions are strong and unstable. White Heat is simply the culmination of gangster films. At least in the forties of the last century. The film is full of complications and murder. The tension is constant.James Cagney as Arthur "Cody" Jarrett He is a ruthless gang leader. Maniac and a lunatic. Character full of rage, that at any moment looks scary. His job is violence, robbery and money. I think that Mr. Cagney is maybe a little too brutal in their roles. In this film, the brutality has reached a peak. Anything else, aloof murder. Certainly not common. Cagney's killing with style. This actor I really miss. I think he's the biggest gangster in the classic Hollywood. My inclination to the floor.The acting is generally good. Virginia Mayo as Verna Jarrett is quite good in the role of unfair wife. Cheeky, horny and stupid. I think that no actress can not be achieved in the role of a femme fatale. Good examples are rare. Beauty generally becomes crucial. Edmond O'Brien as Hank Fallon AKA "Vic Pardo", It's nothing special. Simply good. Resourceful character. His performance has been shaken in the last third of the film.At least likely fact is "mama's boy". This is the motivation main character. However operates unconvincing. If we talk about the disorder in character, he would have functioned perfectly irrespective of the element in the story.Exciting, tense and entertaining thriller. Fans of the genre can enjoy. I've enjoyed.

Raoul Walsh's film is bold with Freudian undertones with a staggering over the top performance from an ageing James Cagney as a ruthless and unhinged mama's boyWatching this film again it is noticeable that Cagney is too old for the role. He was almost 50 years old. He plays Cody Jarrett mean, nasty and nutty. We see him and his gang rob a train and cold blooded kill the driver and his mate because they heard his name being called out. When one of the gang members is injured in the heist he is happy to have him whacked.His beautiful blonde wife is treacherous and afraid of him. Its more than hinted he beats her up regularly. His right hand man wants him out of the way and wants his wife too. The only person he cares for his his mother. played by Margaret Wycherly. We never find out too much for the course of this close bond between mother and son. Jarret has one other problem, bouts of shooting pain in his head leading to blinding headaches.Edmond O'Brien plays the undercover cop who befriends Jarrett in prison and becomes a member of his gang in order to catch him in the act and find other more secretive gangsters.The film has a mix of noirish crime thriller with a documentary style of shooting and a deep cover genre film as O'Brien bonds with Jarrett in order to be trusted by him and then later betray him.The film is a classic, I think the film suffers because so many aspects are left unexplored because of censorship laws of the time.