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Rating: 5 out of 5
I love the gangster genre of film. I think sometimes it is the best genre to watch. Especially those old school gangster films. I think the Godfather, Scarface, Goodfellas, and the others are amazing works but I will tell you that some of the best are the old school films. The ones with the Tommy Gun, suits that are straight gangster with the fedora hat and the way the gangsters talk. You have to start at the beginning to really appreciate these films, and the ones in the 1930s and 1940s are straight INSANE! You want to talk about violent! These films are violent for their time, and the story is very compelling.
Recently, I picked up White Heat, starring the great James Cagney. Let me tell, think of any mobster that was violent and extreme, and they all can be traced back to Cagney’s character Arthur “Cody” Jarrett. The dude sets the tone on how violent a gangster can be, and it is crazy to watch. I think I have a new king for my favorite gangster!
Directed by Raoul Walsh. White Heat tells the gangster tale of the one and only Cody Jarrett. Cody Jarrett (Cagney) is one of the most ruthless, psychotic, deranged, and really doesn’t care about anyone but his ma leader of a criminal gang. Jarrett is married to Verna (Mayo) but has some of the most extreme loyalty to his equally ruthless and determined mother, Ma’ (Wycherly). Ma’ acts as the gang confidant and de facto second in command. The apple did not fall far from the tree with this family. You almost see where Cody gets his extreme ruthlessness from. Cody also suffers from some of the worse migraines a person can have. When Cody suffers from one of his episodes, his Ma consoles her little boy and gives a drink where they usually toast and say “Top of the World.”
Cody and his gang carry out a major robbery by hijacking a train. The resulting robbery results in the death of several people. Jarrett pretty much kills everyone, including four members of the train crew and one of his own men. The police track down Cody’s gang by following his Ma. As they try to capture Cody, Cody shoots and injures US Treasury investigator Philip Evans (Archer). Cody escapes to Illinois and decides to confess to a lesser crime that he didn’t even commit. The crime is done around the same time as the train robbery and gives Cody the perfect alibi and only a three-year sentence. The man beat the system. Not liking what he just saw, Evans sends his best man as an undercover agent, Hank Fallon (O’Brien). Fallon goes into the penitentiary to get information from Jarrett and put him away for a very long time.
What can I say about James Cagney as Cody? The dude was straight up ruthless. I would say that he set the tone on how ruthless a gangster should be. Whether it was Tony Montana in Scarface, Michael Corleone in The Godfather, or even some of the characters in Goodfellas, James Cagney, as Cody started it all on how ruthless a gangster could be. The American Film Institute named Cody Jarrett as the number 26 villain in its list of the best heroes and villains of the past 100 years. What made Cody so evil? It was just the way he went about his business and world. If he thought you were a loose end, then he would kill you without hesitation. He pretty much shot and killed anyone that came around him.
Let’s get this out of the way. Cagney looks like a gangster. He embodies the gangster look so much. Every time I see him, I say, “That’s a gangster right there.” It’s the little smiles he does, with his facial expression that brings out that gangster feel from him. He also sounds like one of those old-time gangsters. Cagney is always great in these roles. Now in this movie, the whole scene where Cody learns of his ma’s death was extraordinary. In today’s movie, his a** would’ve gotten beat, but in this one, they just carried him away like he was nothing.
Now for the story. For a story in the late 1940s, this film is really, really good. It is entertaining but also doesn’t rely on much special effects. It is pure action, violence, and also storytelling. I’ve seen many movies where the good guy goes to prison just to get inside of the bad guys’ group. This film doesn’t go overboard. Just simple and very easy to follow. Yo! How do you have four dudes in a cell together? It looked so cramped. It was fun to see how the undercover officer gained the trust of Cody. He pushed him out of the way when working in the factory. The ending is also pretty iconic. One that must be seen.
What is also great about this movie is the dynamic of Cody’s crew. Cody has a gorgeous wife. She is a dime piece, but his second in command is hooking up with his girl. That is some cold-blooded s**t right there. Also, Cody is quite fair when he is running his crew beside the fact that he will kill you if you’re a loose end. He pretty much splits everything evenly and takes care of his crew, only when they are not loose ends.
White Heat is a fantastic and all-time excellent gangster film. One that must be watched if you love gangster films. James Caney is at his absolute best in this role. A role that set up the standard on how gangster bosses should look and act like.
“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”
