![]() ![]() As an actor who has studied and worked for several decades, when I watch Cagney I can’t help but be in awe of his unrelenting honesty and immense skillfulness. ![]() When “Cody” gets one of his headaches and recovers, Cagney's physicality and emotion are so real, one can’t help but feel concern. His distinct accent, way of speaking, and energetic short, stocky body (which moves like an agile brick wall), all come together to make this dangerous, slightly insane man quite exciting to watch. Cagney portrays “Cody” with such astounding naturalism and unrestraint, it is nothing less than a perfect performance. He did make it to #8 of the men on the AFI’s list of the "50 Greatest American Screen Legends”. While Cagney is at the very top echelon of classic stars, he never truly gets recognition for his exceptional artistry, especially in roles like “Cody". No matter how phenomenal a performance may be, when it is made to look easy, and appears in what is largely considered a “lesser” film genre (like gangster films, comedy, musicals, and westerns), it is often taken for granted (like the comedic expertise of Cary Grant or the raw emotion in the acting of musical star Judy Garland ). “White Heat” is first and foremost a vehicle for its star, James Cagney who brilliantly plays “Cody Jarrett”. Raoul Walsh died in 1980 at the age of 93. He was married three times, including his first marriage to silent film star Miriam Cooper. While driving on location for the 1928 film "In Old Arizona” (which Walsh was set to direct and appear as the “Cisco Kid”), a jackrabbit hit his car windshield and he lost his right eye. Surprisingly, he was never nominated for an Academy Award. ![]() Walsh was one of Hollywood’s top directors for about forty years, and directed such classics as "The Thief of Bagdad", "What Price Glory”, "They Drive by Night", "High Sierra","The Strawberry Blonde", "They Died with Their Boots On”, "Battle Cry”, "The Big Trail", and "The Roaring Twenties”. He directed four films with James Cagney, six with Errol Flynn, and gave John Wayne his first starring role. Walsh directed close to 140 shorts and feature films from many different genres but became best known for making virile action films and crime dramas. Walsh's last acting appearance was in the 1928 film “Miss Sadie Thompson” opposite Gloria Swanson (which he also directed), and made one final cameo appearance as himself in the 1949 musical comedy “It's a Great Feeling”. He famously portrayed “John Wilkes Booth” in Griffith’s landmark 1915 film, “The Birth of a Nation”. Griffith as an actor and an assistant director. Raoul Walsh began his career as a theater actor, then found himself playing cowboy roles in silent films, came to Hollywood and soon began working with director D.W. It’s a personal moment for “Cody”, cleverly filmed almost exclusively in surprising long shots. A prime example (which I’ll talk about more in the TO READ AFTER VIEWING section) is in the prison cafeteria scene. He uses very few close-ups in the film, always placing his characters in a setting. ![]() His impeccable, no-nonsense approach to the story creates its gritty style, and his rapid pace keeps it engaging. It is without a doubt one of cinema’s best and most engrossing classics.Īmerican director Raoul Walsh directed “White Heat”. What separates this film from others is its top-notch script, the character of “Cody”, and James Cagney’s staggering performance. When seen today, the film’s physical violence may not be as shocking as in 1949, but “White Heat” still packs a wonderfully powerful punch. The fantastic script by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts was based on a story by Virginia Kellogg, who earned the film’s only Academy Award nomination for Best Story (a category that no longer exists). Throw in the fact that he is unusually attached to his villainous mother “Ma Jarrett”, has a two-timing girlfriend “Verna”, and trust issues with everyone but “Ma”, and you have the makings of thrilling entertainment. The rest of the film is basically “Cody” doing whatever he can to outwit law enforcement and avoid the gas chamber. “Arthur ‘Cody’ Jarrett”, a volatile, psychotic criminal, successfully leads his gang at robbing a mail train carrying $300,000 US federal currency, in his quest to get to the “top of the world”. While the action in “White Heat” is complex, its story is simple. ![]()
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