Bit of a distance to go to slip in a Red Hot Chili Peppers gag but today's film brings me to another genre that so far we've only barely scraped. The crime/gangster genre. Sure we sort of touched upon it with "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" but that's playing up to the tropes of it. Outside of "Zodiac" which is more of a true-crime story retold, this deals with another genre that's quite close to my heart and of course, features one of the best stars of said genre.
For today, we come across a Warner Brothers classic, starring none other than Mr James Francis Cagney Jr himself. Today we re-watch:
WHITE HEAT (1949 dir. Raoul Walsh)
Why I bought it/Why I liked it:
I mentioned this in a previous review but working in CEX, you'd often come across the same movies time after time, sifting through enough "American Pie"'s, "Die Another Day"'s and "S.W.A.T."'s to last a lifetime.
Once in a blue moon, you'd hit the motherload. Obviously, movies of prestige and rarity would often be kept by the collectors themselves but sadly perhaps, an old boy would pass on, leaving their films to their loved ones and not knowing what to do with them, would trade them in. It's how I managed to garner some classic westerns but also stumble across a wealth of classic Warner Brother gangster films.
Cagney had always been the actor that had remained a blank slate for me. I was familiar with the man through countless pop culture references but had never sat down to watch any. Suddenly three had landed in my lap, "The Public Enemy", "The Roaring Twenties" and today's film, "White Heat". "The Public Enemy" was the first film and we'll be revisiting that later on so I won't say too much. Needless to say, it blew me away despite its age and Cagney was every bit the screen presence that had often been talked about.
"The Roaring Twenties" wasn't my cup of tea, I wasn't too keen of Cagney's gangster with a heart of gold, but "White Heat" was a great return to form I felt. Playing an unhinged Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett (that's J-A-Double R - E - Double T, ha ha ha), this was classic Cagney and the performance was mesmerizing and therefore remained in the collection.
If I think it'll stay in the collection:
Yeah, I'm pretty confident that it will do. Cagney's performance is one of the all-time greats in this film and Virginia Mayo plays a great moll too. I'm pretty sure that the film's duration should be a pretty enjoyable one.
The review:
Holy Crap. I remember the film being good but I forgot HOW good it really is.
As we'll progress through these films, you'll begin to see something of a pattern and I'm a self-confessed action movie junkie. Against better taste there's always a part of me that'll enjoy an over the top, bombastic action movie.
In 1949 Raoul Walsh essentially directed what would become the modern-day equivalent of the action movie. This film doesn't let up for a second and has you gasping for air all throughout the film.
Starting with a gripping train heist and then twisting and turning, incorporating betrayal among thieves, undercover police until it culminates in one final heist. It's like Grand Theft Auto 1949!
Cagney is just wonderful throughout the film, ruthless, psychotic, his portrayal of Cody Jarrett is just fantastic. He'll coldly shoot down his men without a second thought and he only cares about himself. No tears should be shed for Virginia Mayo's Verna either, who's just as calculating and ruthless as Cody and is ready to sell him up the river just to better her life.
The pacing is just non stop, the plot is clever, you admire the tenacity of the police just as much as you respect the planning of the gangsters. This is a tremendous piece of cinema and was a terrific way to spend a Friday evening.
To add the cherry on top, the DVD (and I believe the Blu-Ray) features a night at the movies, recreating the experience of going to the pictures back then complete with newsreels, comedy shorts and a cartoon. The cartoon is 'Homeless Hare.' A classic slice of Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny action directed by Chuck Jones. My god, I love this DVD.
Should it stay or should it go?
Try taking it from my cold dead hands. What an absolute cracker! Upon the second review, this may actually start creeping up into my favourite movies of all-time list. If I was reviewing the DVD as a whole, complete with Chuck Jones short, 10 out of 10, easy. The film I'm giving a 9 out of 10, this may go up on repeated viewings but it's definitely getting watched again.
Indeed, Jimmy, you made it, Top of the world buddy...
Until next time, I remain,
Matt Major
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