the leading man is my tpye

Some things I liked some I did not.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

One thing that 'White Heat (1949)' could never be accused of, like it's unhinged and off-type killer protagonist, is being predictable. It's constantly surprising as it powers through its relatively unconventional plot which - though sometimes a little unfocused - does a fantastic job of painting a clear picture of a violent criminal at its heart and keeping you on your toes throughout. The flick is entertaining and maintains a tight grip on its narrative, which is violent and exciting as it follows the deadly lifestyle of its central criminal character. It ends with a literal bang during a fantastic, frenetic shootout. 7/10

Hands down the best crime/gangster film in history. Cagney has cemented himself as my favorite actor after seeing this and The Public Enemy. White Heat is a staple film that constitutes a 10/10. I'm just happy to have viewed this in my lifetime.

White Heat" shows the influence of film noir that was so popular in the 40's an 50's. Here, Cagney's gangster persona has come full circle back to the viciousness of Tom Powers in "Public Enemy". The big difference is that in this film Cagney's mother is no cream puff. She is, in fact, probably a bigger criminal in thought if not in deed than Cagney's Cody Jarrett.This late entry into Cagney's gangster filmology shows technology and thus the law gaining on the criminal, with electronic gadgets and undercover lawmen with college degrees in psychology replacing the determined hard-boiled detectives and beat cops of the past. It very much looks forward to the Dragnet series that is to emerge in the 50's.Virginia Mayo plays Verna, the fur coat loving unfaithful wife to Cagney's psychopathic criminal character Cody Jarrett. She has the hots for a member of Cody's gang, Big Ed (Steve Cochran). Even with his dark menacing presence, Cochran acts like a scared rabbit at the idea of dealing with Cody's wrath - Cagney has that much screen presence here. Edmund O'Brien is great as the undercover cop who has to stay on his toes to keep Cody believing he is on his side and win his confidence. Anything less than a convincing performance would be deadly. O'Brien always impressed me as someone who, like Cagney, could play either a guy with a white or black hat, depending on what the role called for.Best scene without giving away the ending. Cody chewing on a chicken leg asking a guy in the trunk of the car how he's doing. When he complains it is stuffy Cody pumps the trunk full of lead. He now has the air he needs, not that he is in any condition to breathe anymore.

Great gangster-drama - an absolute classic. Solid, tight plot. Good direction by Raoul Walsh. Though there are many twists and turns, it never feels contrived or overstays its welcome.Undoubtedly the highlight of the movie, and what makes it a classic, is the performance of James Cagney. Starring as the psychotic head- gangster, Cody Jarrett, Cagney delivers an acting tour de force: powerful, searing, intense, layered, believable, brilliant.Good support from Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Steve Cochran, Margaret Wycherly and John ArcherSurely a movie which inspired generations of film-makers to come. A must-see.