White Heat (1949)

Synopsis

Cody and his gang seem to be unstoppable. That's until he decides to turn himself in, but when his mother dies, all bets are off. 

Thoughts

Gangsters, criminals, detectives, coppers, dames, broads. These "titles", although dame and broad are demeaning, are some of the main focuses for characters in film noir. Generally, the main cast of characters are complete cynics. They were about one thing and one thing only...themselves. A lone detective trying to solve the case of his career. No family. No use for a dame. Just the paper, his gun and a tumbler of bourbon. Or, nice guy turned bank robber committing armed robbery with his lady, but love is the eventual downfall. Those were different times. The 40's and 50's made their mark in the golden age with film noir. Now, of course, there's so much more that makes a film noir what it is. If you've taken a film class, or are just well versed in the genre, you're quite well aware of it all, so, I don't want to gab on about the history. Lets delve into this week's Noir November selection.

When I first came across White Heat, I was watching the 90's hip hop drama Juice. Yeah, I'll never forget the excitement in Tupac Shakur's eyes watching it while eating that 40 ounce egg scramble. The film itself caught my interest though. So, I did what any kid did when they wanted to see a movie and hadn't a dime to their name. I grabbed an adult and scurried over to my local library for some free rentals. Uur library had a treasure trove of classic movies, so, the probability of them having it was pretty high. I rushed home, well, I had my mom rush us home so I could watch it. What a film! 

White Heat starts and doesn't let up for one second. Robberies, a high speed car chase, prison escape, murder (in the back), an undercover detective and a dame to kill for. It follows Cody, a ruthless gangster who turns himself in for a shorter stint in prison. Big Ed wants Cody dead so he can take over the gang and Vera, Cody's wife. Hiring a hitman on the inside with Cody didn't pan out with Vic, better known to the agency as Hank, there to save him. Cody's set to finish his stint, but plans change when he gets word his mother died. Cody decides to make a break for it. After he settles the score with Big Ed, he's back doing what he does best. Cody gets the gang back together for the big score, unknowingly, a setup, and his final moments.

James Cagney. The name itself is legendary. Sure, he's played a lot of the same roles, but in each he's given a masterful performance. He just commands attention when he's on the screen. Even with Virginia Mayo portraying the beautiful, but treacherous, murderous Vera, Cagney is the focus of the scene. The production and acting were great for it's time. The script, as well as the directing, were also quite well done. The scene with Cody explaining why he's turning himself in is brilliant. If he would had only figure in the betrayal, deception and greed that would follow. Although this film is great on all fronts, it does have its issues. For instance, who exactly should you be rooting for? I've always found myself rooting for one side or the other when it comes to cops and robbers, but White Heat doesn't really have a clear line. With Cagney having such a demanding presence, I found myself favoring the gang, even though Cody was diagnosed with homicidal psychosis. Not really an issue at all with the film, but usually films like this choose a side within themselves. You're either hoping the cops nab the robbers or the robbers make a clean get away. If there's anything to really wonder about it would be why he never found out Vera was the one who got his mom in the back. I really enjoyed Vera's outcome though. I just wish the cop would have replied "Copper isn't cheap, dollface. Take her away boys!"

White Heat is a classic movie everyone should see. I absolutely love this movie. The classic tale of cops and robbers, the fast talking dialogue, the "top of the world" ending. It all adds up to it being a fantastic film noir. So, rent it on Amazon, dig up your old VHS copy, or set your GPS to find the nearest video store and see White Heat.

IMDB: 8.2/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 8.4/10

WeFLM: 9/10

Come for the deception. Stay for the betrayal. 

-kp