White Heat (1949)

Sadistic gangster Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) loves only one woman—his mother. Jarrett is a high-strung, volatile man who leads his gang of ruthless thieves by fear. When he cops to a lesser crime and gets sent up the river, a power struggle for the gang begins. Mom takes control only to be double crossed by Big Ed and Cody’s wife. When Cody hears his mom took it in the back, Cody stages a prison break to get revenge.

White Heat is an incredible character study. Cagney’s Jarrett oozes a demented lust. Ma Jarrett (Margaret Wycherly) is equally fascinating as she manipulates her son and his gang to keep his trust. Virginia Mayo at Jarrett’s two-faced broad is typical of the genre.

As I see it, White Heat is a brilliantly executed drama deserving of its accolades. With its dirty-double crossing and incestuous excess, White Heat has become the standard for an entire genre thanks to Cagney’s remarkable performance.