White Heat (1949)

15 November 2019

One of the best gangster movies I know (not mafia) is 1949's White Heat, starring James Cagney. Cagney was in a lot of gangster style films, and is probably most known for his voice - the movie quote "you dirty rat" is misquoted (like in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1990), but usually spoken in his style. Cagney got typecast in these tough guy roles because he was really good in them.

Cagney plays Cody Jarrett, a gang leader that goes to prison and has to figure out how to keep his life together while being unknowingly watched by an undercover cop. It's a gripping story even by today's standards: it was added to the National Film Registry, was nominated for a Best Story Academy Award, and it regarded as a classic. Cagney's acting, with his "Top of the World!" declaration and prison rage scene carries the film and brought his career out of financial troubles. 10/10