White Heat Overview:

White Heat (1949) was a Crime - Film Noir Film directed by Raoul Walsh and produced by Louis F. Edelman.

SYNOPSIS

"Made it, Ma. Top of the world!" The last explosion of the Warner Bros. gangster movies, a decade after their '30s heyday, was one of the best, with Cagney unleashing a merciless portrayal of the warped personality that becomes a ruthless killer. Based on the mother-son gang led by "Ma" Barker, the story opens with Cagney's gang holding up a train and then hiding out in a freezing cabin with an injured member and his wife (Mayo) and mother (Wycherly). Dissension in the gang and an attraction between Mayo and a rebellious gangster (Cochran) lead to a police tail in Southern California, a stint in prison for Cagney, and a blazing final showdown. The climactic shoot-out in the oil refinery has become a movie icon and it remains one of Cagney's and director Walsh's greatest moments.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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White Heat was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2003.

Academy Awards 1949 --- Ceremony Number 22 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingVirginia KelloggNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

White Heat (1949)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Sep 5, 2017 From 4 Star Films

White Heat burns like hot coals even today. It’s a gangster picture from master Warner Bros. craftsman?Raoul Walsh that’s volatile and intriguing, highlighted by the always fiery James Cagney as a crazed man-child with a mom complex. Cagney had stayed away from gangster pictures that mad... Read full article


White Heat (1949)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Sep 5, 2017 From 4 Star Films

White Heat burns like hot coals even today. It’s a gangster picture from master Warner Bros. craftsman?Raoul Walsh that’s volatile and intriguing, highlighted by the always fiery James Cagney as a crazed man-child with a mom complex. Cagney had stayed away from gangster pictures that mad... Read full article


1001 Classic Movies: White Heat

By Amanda Garrett on Aug 26, 2017 From Old Hollywood Films

White Heat (1949) is one of the 1001 classic movies you should see. It stars Margaret Wycherly (middle) and James Cagney as a devoted mother and son who also happen to ruthless gangsters. Virginia Mayo (left) plays Cagney's unhappy wife. Due to an unexpected illness, I didn't write about The Man... Read full article


Film Noir of the Week: White Heat

By Amanda Garrett on Jul 2, 2015 From Old Hollywood Films

There's plenty of fireworks in this week's film noir. White Heat (1949), featuring James Cagney (above) as trigger-happy gangster Cody Jarrett, will air at 6 p.m. July 3 as part of TCM's film noir festival, Summer of Darkness. I'll outline the noir elements in this classic gangster movie below. ... Read full article


White Heat (1949) – Film-Noir

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jun 18, 2013 From 4 Star Films

Starring James Cagney, Edmund O’Brien, and Virginia Mayo, once again Cagney does the gangster role. However, his Cody Jarret is older and more psychotic than ever as he leads his band of thugs. Although he has a beautiful wife, the main woman in Jarret’s life is his mom who watches over ... Read full article


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Quotes from

Philip Evans: Cody Jarrett...
Hank Fallon: He finally got to the top of the world... and it blew right up in his face.


Ma Jarrett: I told you, Cody hasn't been in California for months.
Philip Evans: I suppose he shot me all the way from another state.
Ma Jarrett: What makes you think *he* shot you? Lots of people have guns.
Philip Evans: I was as close to him as I am to you.
Ma Jarrett: Anybody else see him?
Philip Evans: Just you. And his wife.
Ma Jarrett: Of course, being an old woman, I wouldn't know much about the law, but I hear you got to have *witnesses* to make anything stand up in court.


[the sound of shooting is heard]
Zuckie Hommell: Sounds bad, Cody.
Cody Jarrett: Why don't you give 'em my address too...


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Facts about

The unusually close relationship between Cody Jarrett and his domineering mother was inspired by real life bank robbers Kate Barker (aka "Ma Barker") and her sons.
All the locations and bearings radioed back and forth during the triangulation tracking of the gasoline truck, as it moves southwest across the Los Angeles basin, are accurate. They can all be found on a modern map of Los Angeles. Even the view of the Los Angeles City Hall shows up at the appropriate time.
Ranked #4 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Gangster" in June 2008.
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Best Writing Oscar 1949
















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National Film Registry

White Heat

Released 1949
Inducted 2003
(Sound)




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Also directed by Raoul Walsh




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Also produced by Louis F. Edelman




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