"Doorway" stars Lew Ayres as mob boss "Louie", with co-star Dorothy Mathews. This one was right at the beginning of Ayres film career. He comes across so meek and mild mannered, it's pretty hard to accept him in the role of mob bigshot. (Ayres was an objector during wartime, re-inforcing that notion.) Mathews only had about sixteen roles, and most of those were uncredited anyway. In the story, Louie wants to combine all the various gangs, and be the kingpin of the whole durn thing. When Louie goes out of town, the various hoods and gangs act up, and trouble begins to brew. Interesting side note -- James Cagney is way down in the cast list...This appears to be his first or second role, and he clearly steals the show. You can tell he's going on to bigger and better things. Louie tries to quit as boss of the gangs, but as every mob story tells us, you can never quit the gang! This one is ok. very typical mob film. has actors that will go on to many good things. Directed by Archie Mayo... this was actually nominated for Best Story oscar.
Review of The Doorway to Hell
