Customer Reviews

White Heat

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this DVD after seeing it on TCM. I am a newcomer to the older film genre, but as a fan of the good guys vs. bad guys types of entertainment, I decided to watch "White Heat" after reading the info on it. I liked the way Cagney portrayed Cody Jarrett, who is a robber/killer. You can really believe Cagney is that crazy!!!!! Virginia Mayo is looks good, but she is in the way of Cody and his Mom's plans. As well as obviously eying one of Cody's gang. Cody plans and schemes his way, once the T-men get on his tail. Cody lands in jail and meets several new "friends". But Cody only really trusts Ma, and his new friend from prison (thanks to the T-men). But Cody has plans to get back into the "action" and settle scores!!!! However the ending is somewhat anti-climatic, but Cagney's character remains true to the end-CRAZY.

There are two styles of Film Noir. The Noir of the 1940s is characterized by glossy production values, gumshoes and dangerous women, and complex plots that emphasize moral ambiguity. The Noir of the 1950s is characterized by a gritty realism and brutality and tends to place the criminal at center of the story. The 1949 film WHITE HEAT straddles the two styles--a fact that makes it "required viewing" for any one interested in the way Film Noir developed and changed over time. But WHITE HEAT is much more than a film with historical significance. It continues to pack quite a punch right up present day.

At the time it was released many critics warned audiences about the movie's level of violence. By today's standards the violence isn't much: you won't find oozing gore. But WHITE HEAT bests most modern films in terms of brutality. You might not see the blood pouring, but the harsh tone of the film and its vicious characters create a sense of violence that generally outstrips more graphic modern films. The pace of the film is driving, the story and dialogue convincing, and the cast top-notch all the way.

James Cagney spent much of the 1940s trying to distance himself from the gangster roles he created in the 1930s, but he returns to the genre in what may be his single finest performance as Cody Jarrett, career criminal, gang leader, and easily one of the most psychotic criminals Hollywood has ever portrayed. Backed by his equally dangerous mother and perfidious wife (Margaret Wycherly and Virginia Mayo, both of whom give the performances of their careers), Jarrett undertakes a train holdup--and when things get too hot tries to sidetrack the cops by taking a rap on a minor charge. But the cops are onto his tricks, and they place an operative in his cell, hoping to get the evidence they need to send him to the gas chamber.

Although the plot is convoluted, director Raoul Walsh endows the film with considerable clarity, directness, and speed, and from the opening scenes of train robbery to the justly celebrated climax at the refinery, WHITE HEAT contains one memorable moment after another. Hard-driving, fascinating, and powerful, this is a must-have for any one who enjoys Film Noir.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Well, the opinions are uniformal.This is one one of the most enjoyable gangster flicks of all times.Cagneys performance is more than just memorable.But why hasn't been released on dvd yet?
Surely it is a worthy addition to any serious collection.I for one would gladly buy it because it is a classic with a high replay value...

In WHITE HEAT James Cagney is a psychotic killer named Cody Jarrett who has a mother fixation. Cody heads a gang of armed robbers and he travels with an entourage which includes Ma Jarrett (Margaret Wycherly) and his own conniving wife (Virginia Mayo). Steve Cochran plays the part of Big Ed who has an eye on Cody's job as well as his wife.

The action starts with the gang robbing a train and two banks before heading for a hideout. During the robberies there are some unnecessary killings. In order to take the heat off the gang Cody manages to turn himself in for a much lesser crime committed in another state at the same time. He will serve only two years for this crime and Ma Jarrett will run the gang in his absence. Undercover agent Edmund O'Brien is placed in prison as Cody's cellmate to get information from him about the robberies. In spite of a few close calls O'Brien is able to avoid detection and finds himself unwittingly travelling with the gang after a prison escape. At this point the action and tension increase exponentially as the film moves toward a memorable climax.

Cagney had gone about ten years without a big hit and was fifty years old at the time of this movie. He decided to resort to the successful gangster formula of his earlier career and the move proved to be very wise. The strong supporting cast included John Archer, Wally Cassell, Fred Clark and Ford Rainey. WHITE HEAT received an Oscar nomination in 1949 for Best Motion Picture Story. Raoul Walsh directed many other fine films during his career such as GENTLEMAN JIM and HIGH SIERRA.

This movie remains a thrill to watch. Even though it was made in 1949, long after the Warner Bros gangster cycle is considered to have ended, it is probably the most flambouyant such film the studio turned out. A measure of how good Cagney really was in this movie is to try to imagine any other actor being as credible and effective in this role. I can't think of one who could come close, then or now. The movie and his performance are over the top, and at times it seems as though the rest of the cast is just trying to get out of his way. Yet, it all works fabulously. One great scene that doesn't get much mention is where Cagney confronts his wife and "Big Ed" in their hideout. It still gives me chills. This isn't high art, but a great cast and director created an incredible piece of entertainment. Don't miss it.

One has to wonder what the AFI was thinking when they made up their "100 Movies" lists. It's bad enough that they ignored "White Heat" on their greatest movies, but it's a crime that it wasn't named one of the most thrilling movies. (Some spoilers ahead)

"White Heat" is an excellent film, with great action pieces and an excellent performance by James Cagney (Which wasn't Oscar nominated!), who portrays Cody Jarrett, a psychotic criminal who suffers from headaches and is very much attached to his mother. While serving time in prison, he finds out that his mother is dead. With help from another con named Vic Pardo, Jarrett escapes from prison. Little does Jarrett know that Pardo is actually undercover cop. In the film's legendary finale, Cagney and some of his other boys stage a heist at a chemical plant, which ends spectacularly with the now famous "Top of the world" scene.

Did I mention that there are a lot of great quotes? Here are some of my favorites:

Engineer: What's this, a hold-up?
Cody Jarrett: Naw, naw, you're seven minutes late. We're just changin' engineers.

Cody Jarrett: You know something, Verna, if I turn my back for long enough for Big Ed to put a hole in it, there'd be a hole in it.

Cody Jarrett: Whaddya want - a medal?

Gas Station Attendant: Wise guys, didn't even buy gas.

Roy Parker: You're not gonna shoot me in cold blood now, are ya?
Cody Jarrett: No, I'll let ya warm up first!

And everyone's favorite line:

Cody Jarrett: Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Overall, "White Heat" is superbly entertaining and riveting and can hold up well after repeat viewings. Now when's that DVD coming out?

This is a great 40s gangster movie! I watched all of it in one sitting! However, this site forgot some great quotes...

"You're not gonna shoot me in cold blood now, are ya??"
"No, I'll let ya warm up first!"

"Get in the back and make like you're looney!"

If you love James Cagney, DON'T miss out on this flick!!!

James Cagney, in older years, retakes his archetypal gangster role, though this time, he invests it with greater psychological connotations as the unbalanced, mother-fixated hoodlum, Cody Jarrett. As opposed to the usual Depression-era ambient, Cagney, in the crowning performances of his career, plays the ageing gangleader Jarrett, who is caught in a spiral of tension as a relentless undercover agent (Edmond O'Brien) infiltrates his gang with a view to putting him inside, while his faithless wife and his rival (outstandingly played by Virginia Mayo and Steve Cochran respectively) plot his as well as his mother's deaths. Margaret Wycherley is fine in the supporting role of Jarrett's mother, the object of his obsessive Oedipal devotion. What is most endearing about this film is that, for a movie that was made in 1949, it works with still the same narrative machinery of contemporary thrillers exploring the same themes. This proves that it hasn't dated at all, producing often mesmerisingly suspenseful results. It can be compared, with favour, to the best and latest offerings of the gangster-thriller genre. One scene in the middle (a hand-to-hand combat between T-Man Edmond O'Brien and a hoodlum) has the privilige of being one of the earliest martial arts displays in the history of Hollywood -- an ancestor of the fight scenes of Seagal, Van Damme, Snipes, et al.

"One day he's gonna get a big one...about me, and it'll be his last", as Cagney falls to the floor in another series of headaches. This is a truly wonderful movie. My mother introduced me to her favorite actor, James Cagney through this film as well as "Angels With Dirty Faces." But this is my favorite Cagney movie. The acting is superb, Virginia Mayo in her prime and Cagney couldn't be better. It's ashame that so many people now a days know Bogart to be the ultimate classic tough guy when it's truly Cagney. This is a movie to watch again and again. One great scene is where he stuffs his old enemy in the trunk of a car. I won't spoil it for you, but it's classic. A must see for any age!

I looks like just another gangster picture, but it's not, it's much more. James Cagney returned to gangster roles because the role of Cody Jarrett was just to good to turn down. He creates one of the most ruthless characters ever to grace the silver screen. His Cody Jarrett is a brilliant personification of criminal paranoia mixed with motherly obsession. Just by seeing him on the screen, his intensity feels like the screen will explode. Probably Cagney's best role, certainly his most meaty, Cody's breakdown headache sequences are harrowing but brilliant. The story takes a back-seat, this is basically Cagney's show, but Virginia Mayo deserves credit for her role, she oozes sex appeal. The 'Top of the World' finale is now classic. Great for Cagney fans and gangster buffs. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!