White Heat

There are a number of movie genres that have graced the screens of cinema. Whether action packed, romantic, or hilarious, the options are limitless. One specific type of film however has been around for a while and continues to fascinate audiences with each new undertaking. A genre of cat and mouse, good versus evil, and justice versus crime. The gangster film has been around for nearly one hundred years in cinema and within it lie countless classics and stars that have made names for themselves. Perhaps no other actor however is as synonymous with the gangster movie than the lead of our subject today, starring as the most ruthless and dangerous role of his career.

So if you’re like me and you enjoy film and the impact and emotions they convey, then grab a glass of your preferred liquid and join me for the next little while. For me, that’s a bottle of Number Nine from our friends at the Magic Hat Brewery in Rochester, NY. So sit back, relax, and let’s talk about the love of film. Welcome to Glazed Cinema.

When most people think of the gangster or organized crime movie most people think of films from the seventies or later. Classics like GoodFellas, The Godfather, or Scarface might come to mind. However, the gangster film is almost one hundred years old, beginning with a film titled Little Cesar. A film about a gang robbing banks, it starred Edward G Robinson as the title character, introducing the anti hero in 1930. The excitement of the film wet an appetite of the public, who wanted more movies like it. Since then there have been many films following in the footsteps of Little Ceasar, adapting, innovating, and laying fresh ground on the tracks of the past.

Of the movies that would follow is our subject today, released just nineteen years later. White Heat follows a gang, led by the ruthless and crazed Cody Jarrett. Played by the great James Gagney, Jarrett is a man who everyone fears and whose only weaknesses seem to be the sporadic crippling headaches he encounters. In fact, the tile of the film harkens to the characters' headache fits in which he describes them as "like having a red hot buzz saw inside my head". He’s man that will do anything to get away with a job and he also do anything for his mother, who is also in the crime game. With the police desperate to catch him they plant an informant within group. As the grip of justice starts to tighten the strings holding the crazed criminal together begin to come unfurled.

There is a lot happening in this picture and it feels like a powder keg. The story and pace are also done in such a way that tension builds as the wick begins to burn toward the barrel. It’s unlike any film of its kind up to that point and one of the very best of the genre. Its electric, furious, and action packed experience within its nearly two hour duration make it necessary viewing for any film fan. It was also pretty daring for the time, with moments that make the grapefruit smash in 1931’s The Public Enemy look like child’s play.

Alongside Cagney, White Heat features a great and skillful cast. Virginia Mayo plays Jarrett’s wife, Verna. Verna is a beautiful, false, and rakish woman. She supports Cody on one hand while having an affair with his right hand man. Margaret Wycherly plays Ma Jarrett, Cody’s mother. She travels with the gang and she is just as smart, cold, and calculating as Cody and has a clearer head for business. She and her son are very close and she also tends to the headaches he sometimes suffers while looking out for his best interest. Steve Cochran plays Big Ed, Cody’s right hand man. Big Ed is a tall fellow who is courageous, foolhardy, and ambitious. Edward O’Brien plays Vic Pardo, a new member of the gang and undercover agent of the US Treasury, assigned to take the Jarrett gang down. All of these characters intertwine with their own goals and plans, each played well by their respective actor.

White Heat is directed by Raoul Walsh, a man who had acted in films and began directing since 1915. Prior to his directorial debut he learned the ropes through his role in D.W. Griffith's 1915 classic, Birth of a Nation. In it he edited the film, played two roles, and was also an assistant director. Once he got the feel for the seat however he embarked on a long career in directing motion pictures. Throughout the course of his forty nine year career he directed some great films including High Sierra, The Roaring Twenties, and Gentleman Jim to name a few. By the time it came to begin work on our subject today, where Walsh would reunite with cast members Cagney and Mayo.

Cagney always plays well in his films, but something happens in these gangster films, where in my opinion he seems at home. In White Heat however he‘s different. Gone is the brash, derisive, haughtiness of previous roles, now cold blooded, unpredictable, ruthlessness takes hold. We see this very early on in the film during a train robbery in which Jarrett hands down excessive judgement on an unarmed man.

The first I heard about this film was from stumbling over it on TV. While channel surfing I happened upon a shot of Cagney talking with a bunch of sharp dressed people in what looked to be a hotel room. Recognizing him I settled in, trusting the star and company to deliver. I was a safe bet to do so.

James had a long and prestigious career as an actor, winning an Academy Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from AFI or the American Film Institute. Coming from nothing he rose up to film stardom and has influenced several actors to this day. Though he doesn't get the attention that some his counterparts of the time do, he is among the very best to ever do it. He had an intense style about his acting and an exceptional skill of portraying his characters and making the scenarios they found themselves in real. His range as an actor was pretty impressive. He could be bright and cheerful, over the top, calm and collected, driven, or manic. He also played in several different genres like crime, western, war, comedies, noir, and musicals without missing a beat and oftentimes stealing the show amongst great co-stars. I think that's what made him so successful and believable throughout his career, particularly when playing bad guys. He got his start in vaudeville theater in his twenties and his first film role in 1929. In 1931 he got his big break getting the leading role of Tom Powers in The Public Enemy. The film would prove iconic, influencing future films of the same genre. He went on to star in several more noir and crime films, until forcing himself to stop through fear of being typecast. Turing to other genres he won an Oscar for his role as George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy before returning to the genre that fans loved him in 1949 with White Heat, which would prove to be his swan song in the genre.

This film is infamous for a couple scenes, but one in particular was made famous by the performance rather than the moment. For anybody who has seen White Heat you can probably surmise which scene I’m referring to. If you haven’t seen it, it takes place in a prison cafeteria. In the scene Cody is given some tragic news, which sends him into a fury of emotion and anger. Like a madman, he stumbles around, punching guards and writhing in uncontrollable agony. It's a scene that is quite shocking and highly effective due to Cagney's performance, reminiscent of a scene from an insane asylum. They took several takes of that scene, each one using a different approach, but in the end Walsh and the veteran actor decided on the end result and told nobody on set what was about to happen. All of the reactions caught on film that day are simply that...reactions to an unforgettable piece of performance.

During that initial viewing of White Heat I was so impressed the film's ability to draw me in and sympathize with its gang of bandits. I feel like this movie is action packed as the performances themselves contain movement and intensity. The drama and friction between each character, along with the feeling that the law is nipping at their heels at all times, adds to the intrigue and suspense. Throughout the picture's lifespan, we see a few high stakes moments, like a train robbery, prison break, and a payroll heist, adding to the stakes laid out for us. Gripping dialogue ties big moments like these and smaller moments like shootouts and car chases together to keep us on our toes. Walsh's directing is on point throughout the film, with the camera lending itself to scenes, with little frills or excess, which in my mind only enhances the experience. The momentum never really seems to stop building pressure to the point where combustion seems inevitable.

I love this film and can't say enough great things about it. When I first saw it I happened upon it in the middle of the action, so naturally I had to view it in its entirety. After purchasing it I watched it again and reveled in its brilliance. Humor, shock, excitement, drama, it was all there. I watched it again with a friend shortly after that, it felt like someone else had to witness this gem and undertake the experience that I had. I really enjoy this film and inspired me to seek out more of Cagney's films. Without White Heat I don't know if I would have seen 13 Rue Madeleine, Man of a Thousand Faces, or even Yankee Doodle Dandy. Through that rabbit hole I found some great motion pictures and it cemented him in my Top Five favorite actors of all time. White Heat is a proud staple of my collection and I've recommended it on numerous occasions to those looking for a good classic movie. I think of it from time to time, especially when I pass one of those large oil refineries.

If you're a fan of crime or noir films and you have yet to experience this classic, I highly encourage you to seek this one out, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If you’d like to watch White Heat for yourself you can find it on a variety of streaming services. At the time of this recording you can find it on services like YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu for $2.99 to rent.

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