A well acted film !

"Made it,Ma! Top of the world!"

I'm not big on gangster films but White Heat is brilliant as was Cagney's performance!

                   
                   
   I seriously doubt another actor could have portrayed Cody Jarrett as my man Cagney in a genre that I'm very biased to. White Heat stands out amongst them all! James is brilliant in the lead, maturing the role he created in 1931's Public Enemy.

   A searing saga of an oedipal gangster whose repressed priapic instability (We know his father, was a hoodlum, and died in a nuthouse when Jarrett/Cagney was a boy) is literally produced by capricious migraine headaches which seem to be set off when in want of maternal attention. (Oopsie!)

   Margret Wycherley is outstanding as his loyal mother and Virginia Mayo is ideal as the opportunistic, slutty, unfaithful wife. (Did you ever notice her slightly crossed-eyes? Yeah, they bug me out too! ) Edmund O'Brien is just right as the somewhat insipid gang infiltrator (O'Brien always did a wonderful job when cast in this type of role) Cagney goes totally over the top as the out of control psychopath who loves his Mama...He rolls his eyes, grinds & grits his teeth, and blows holes full of hot lead into everybody he doesn't like.. The writers ‘supposedly” based some of the action off of the story of Ma Barker, and skimmed the (best?) off of all the brothers into one intense, violent, mother-fixated psychopath.

   Yes, as usual for its era, there are shows of a crude public information film showing off the cops' latest technology. Yet at the same time it is a dark exploration of violent psychosis and betrayal. Here we have a study of an insane, unpredictable, vindictive, cold-blooded killer. But the command of Cagney's persona makes him the captivating center of the film. Personally I find it amusing when you LIKE Jarrett, and root for him and loathe the anonymous, plain and deceitful cops. <Quixote Laughs to himself/> Jarrett is a brilliant crook, who is defeated not by his psychotic flaws, but by the dealings of others.

   My personal favorite highlight of the film takes place in the prison mess hall, it's absolutely explosive when he is told his mom is dead. He turns into a raging ape-man, what a fruitcake! You’re customary Quixote on steroids! (YA GOTTA LOVE HIM!) Watch the faces of the other actors in this scene, they did not know what to expect and were totally amazed at Cagney's reaction and total immersion is his character. (His ape like rage was not in the script, only Cagney and the producer knew he was going to “Just go off” to purposefully catch the other actors reactions)

   By this time his age was kicking in on his looks, and he was beginning to look paunchy, but he had been given another shot with this film to revive his waning career and he took full advantage of it. Even though at the time it was said that he didn't think highly of the film or his role, he must have thought otherwise somewhere along the line because I think he gave the best performance of his career and makes all other gangster roles below par in comparison.

   He brings so much sheer power to his character that he wipes away everyone else in the film ....and this is a great supporting cast. There are so many scenes in this film I love, another being the finale when Cagney literally erupts off the screen; his killing of the man in the trunk of the car is simply a superb piece of acting!! (Or maybe I’m just a sick pup?). Well, if you haven’t seen this film, or if you thought Cagney was just another old gangster actor from the 30's, take a peek and don’t be surprised when you see a classic interpretation of a mad killer...
                    
    

Yeah i love his reation when he finds out what happened to his ma. It's like someone stuck a corkscrew in his belly and started twisting it.

He's not just angry he's almost literally torn apart inside. Amazing peice of work

I love those Dead End Kids!

that was hard to pick, angels with dirty faces is the one i really like.

ooo that's hard

i keep coming back to this pick and changing my answer XD