MADE IT MA!

WHITE HEAT
1949
Directed by Raoul Walsh

After ten year away from the genre Cagney returned to what is arguably his best gangster performance - the character of Cody Jarrett is certainly miles away from Tom Powers, Rocky Sullivan or Eddie Bartlett. Where Cagney's previous mobsters had been flawed diamonds, the character he plays here contains no inner good buried beneath the tough guy exterior. In short Cody Jarrett is a psychotic, incestuous monster, a man of weaknesses rather than strengths. Physically it a a far more world weary Cagney we see in this movie - since he last played a mobster his face had rounded out and lined, his waist had extended and he had a pudgy but powerful look about him. And where in the past gangster flicks there had always been the theme of society being to blame for the gangsters, of the poverty thrown into their faces as they grew from innocent boys into men who would be hoods, this time there's none of that and Cody Jarrett is a product of an overbearing matriarchal upbringing - it's all comic book Freud but man, it's a fun movie.

Excuse the language but it has to be said Cagney fucking rocks in this picture.

Right from the first time he appears on screen, nervously looking at his watch as he sits in the passenger seat of a speeding car, mobster looking guys in the back and another beside him in the drivers seat, we can see that this guy means business.

Cagney's performance is flawless and amazing, no matter how many times you see the film you can't help but be affected by his characterisation of Cody Jarrett. The scene where he breaks down in prison after learning that his mother is dead is genuinely gut wrenching - it looks as if he is having his finger nails torn out and the scream that works its way up from his throat becomes a cold and desolate wail of utter blackness. And later when Cagney discovers that one of his men is an undercover cop his fury is so intense that he is almost crying as he turns menacingly on the man.

The supporting cast are superb - Virginia Mayo, as Cagney's wayward moll, plays her role in a similarly over the top style as Cagney and the intensity between the two of them sets the screen on fire. She is the essential femme fatale -desirable, deceitful and deadly. The climax is one of the best in motion picture history as Cagney standing, arms astride, yelling like a rabid monster, is consumed by the fires of Hell itself.

The Warner's DVD of this movie is great because it's packed with extra features including a newly produced documentary on the movie but the best option, least for film buffs, is the Warner Night at the Movie. Select this option and your given the same programs cinema patrons got when the film was first released - a 1948 news reel, a comedy short entitled, So You Think You're Not Guilty, The Homeless Hare which is a cartoon and a series of trailers before the main feature starts. This really is a fun option and shows the value for money that films fans got back in the day.

SCARFACE (1932)

Type Scarface into Google Images and you have to go through four pages of various Al Pacino images before coming across a single picture from the 1932 Howard Hawks directed classic which stars Paul Muni in the title role - such is the sucess of Brain De'palma's 1983 remake and iconic status of Pacino's Tony Montana that the original film has been largely forgotten. And this despite the fact that many people, myself included, actually prefer the original and find Paul Muni's understated performance much more stimulating than Pacino's OTT portrayal.

Scarface, the 1932 original of course, is one of the best of the early period gangster films, and along with Public Enemy did a lot to cement the image of the screen gangster. An image that every film since, including the 1983 Scarface owe a massive debt to. Paul Muni plays Tony Camonte (Montana in the Pacino version), an immigrant out to make something fo himself. He has a scar on his left cheek with gives him a hard look and he is the right hand man of mob leader, Johnny Lovo (played by Osgood Perkins the father of Anthony).

George Raft plays Tony's sidekick, Guino and the actor dominates every scene he's in simply by just being there. With his calm, menacing appearance he draws the viewers eyes towards him.

Real life mobster, Al Capone loved the movie - he even bought a print for himself and after the film came out he sent an invite to director, Howard Hawks for a meeting. Hawks agreed to the meeting and the men had tea together and Hawks later said that, Capone was likable enough in his own way.

Scarface (1932) is available on DVD from Universal Pictures - the region 2 DVD features an alternative ending as well as a Scarface game trailer and the Scarface the special edition DVD release. The Special edition is of course the Pacino movie.

Both versions of the movie are worth owning but whilst the Pacino version comes to rely on spectacle and a wonderfully psychotic performance from Pacino, the original depends more on creating story and tension and is not so in love with its tainted characters.