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By
NICK ZEGARAC
The intense character study
of criminal insanity in Raoul Walsh's "White Heat"
(1949) is most likely the other great Cagney
performance that has endured the test of time in
Warner's gangster genre. Cagney plays the
psychotic and sadistic Arthur "Cody" Jarrett, a
ruthless gang leader with a penchant for deriving
pleasure from the affliction of pain. Plagued by
torturous headaches and a mother fixation with
Freud written all over it, Cody revels in
murdering his wounded accomplice during a
jailbreak.
Meanwhile, back at the old homestead, Cody's "ma"
(Margaret Whycherly) has allowed herself the
luxury of forgetting that she's given birth to the
criminal anti-Christ, while Cody's wife, Verna
(Virginia Mayo), flaunts her sexuality to every
man she meets. This, of course, ends badly for all
concerned. The plot thickens when henchman Vic
Pardo (Edmund O'Brien) conspires to make an
"accident" for Cody, a plan that's foiled when an
undercover cop infiltrates the gang. The finale of
this barnburner will justly go down as one of the
greatest in all crime films, as Cody -- betrayed
and about to die -- shouts triumphantly, "Made it,
ma! Top of the world!" against the backdrop of a
burning chemical plant.
"White Heat" may have been a remake twice removed,
but neither the 1926 nor the 1934 versions come
close to the immediate panic and raw hysteria of
this great film classic.
The Warner DVD exhibits exemplary image quality
throughout. The grayscale is rich and nicely
balanced with deep solid blacks, clean whites and
fine distinctions of tonality. Fine details are
fully realized, even during some of the darker
scenes. Occasionally film grain and minor dirt and
scratches appear but these will certainly not
distract. The image quality overall is sharp and
consistent for a presentation that will surely
please. The audio is mono but extremely well
balanced and very nicely represented. Extras
include an adequate audio commentary by noted
authority Drew Casper, a newly produced
featurette, which is very succinct, and Leonard
Maltin's hosting of "Warner's Night At The
Movies." Highly recommended! |
