One of the greatest films of Cagney's film career, and the film that unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your gag reflexes) introduced us to the Dead End Kids! James Cagney is a career criminal, who, immediately after getting out of the clink, meets up with his former partner in crime (Pat O'Brien!), who of course is a priest now and loathes the life Cagney leads. Cagney is also preoccupied with a bunch of no-good kids who of course idolize him. Seeing this, O'Brien thinks Cagney should lead the kids to good. But Cagney is too busy getting even with his old business cronies (Humphrey Bogart!).
This film is a lot fun, most especially watching Bogey and Cagney on the screen together. For those rather uninitiated with the career of Bogart (eg, just seen Casablanca and the Sam Spade movies), this film may come as a revelation to you, as he plays a cretinous heel here. And Cagney? Ahhh, what's not to like? He's flawless here, (well, except his curious gun usage). As for the Dead End Kids, I liked them here, rather interesting that Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall almost are in the background here, with their leadership of the group not yet realized.
This film is a lot fun, most especially watching Bogey and Cagney on the screen together. For those rather uninitiated with the career of Bogart (eg, just seen Casablanca and the Sam Spade movies), this film may come as a revelation to you, as he plays a cretinous heel here. And Cagney? Ahhh, what's not to like? He's flawless here, (well, except his curious gun usage). As for the Dead End Kids, I liked them here, rather interesting that Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall almost are in the background here, with their leadership of the group not yet realized.