Angels With Dirty Faces
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''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers. It stars
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids,
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...
,
Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagne ...
, and George Bancroft. The
screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...
was written by
John Wexley John Wexley (1907 – February 4, 1985) was an American writer, best known for his play ''The Last Mile''. Early life and career Wexley was born in New York City. His early career involved acting as part of Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Thea ...
and Warren Duff based on the story by Rowland Brown. The film chronicles the relationship of the notorious gangster William "Rocky" Sullivan with his childhood friend and now priest Father Jerry Connolly. After spending fifteen years in prison for armed robbery, Rocky intends to collect $100,000 from his co-conspirator Jim Frazier, a mob lawyer. All the while, Father Connolly tries to prevent a group of youths from falling under Rocky's influence. Brown wrote the scenario in August 1937. After pitching the film to a number of studios, he made a deal with Grand National Pictures, who wanted Cagney to star in the lead role. However, the film never came to fruition, owing to Grand National's financial troubles that led to their bankruptcy in 1939. Cagney then returned to Warner the same year, taking Brown's script with him. Warner acquired the story and asked a number of directors to take on the project, eventually settling with Curtiz. Principal photography began in June 1938 at Warner's Burbank studios, and finished a week behind schedule in August, due mostly to the time it took to shoot Rocky's standoff with the police and eventual execution. ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' was released on November 28, 1938, to positive reviews. At the
11th Academy Awards The 11th Academy Awards were held on February 23, 1939, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. It was the first Academy Awards show without an official host. Frank Capra became the first person to win three Best Director awards, t ...
, the film was nominated in three categories:
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to th ...
(Cagney), Best Director (Curtiz), and
Best Story Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...
(Brown). ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is considered by some to be one of the best films of all time, and is widely regarded as a defining moment in Cagney's career.Anastasia & Macnow, chapter 46, pp. 1–3. It was shortlisted by the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
in 2008, and was voted 67th in a list of the "100 Best Film Noirs of All Time" by ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' in 2015.


Plot

In 1920, two Irish-American youths, Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly, attempt to rob a railroad car carrying fountain pens. Jerry escapes from the police, while Rocky is caught and sentenced to reform school. Fifteen years later, an older Rocky is arrested for armed robbery. His lawyer and co-conspirator, Jim Frazier, asks him to take the blame for the robbery and in exchange, he will keep Rocky's share of the robbery ($100,000) safe until the day he is released. Rocky agrees and is sentenced to three years in prison. After serving his sentence, Rocky returns to his old neighborhood and visits Jerry, who is now a Catholic priest. Jerry advises Rocky to get a place "in the old parish", so Rocky rents a room in a boarding house run by Laury Martin, a girl he bullied in school. He then pays a visit to Frazier's casino. Frazier claims to have been unaware of Rocky's release, but he promises to have the $100,000 ready by the end of the week, and he gives Rocky $500 spending money. After leaving Frazier's casino, Rocky has his pocket picked by a gang of young toughs: Soapy, Swing, Bim, Pasty, Crab, and Hunky. After Rocky tracks them down (they are in his old childhood hideout) and proves to them he is no sucker, the tough kids admit to an admiration of Rocky's reputation and criminal lifestyle. After retrieving his wallet and all the money therein, Rocky invites them to dinner. While they are eating, Jerry arrives and asks the gang why they have not been playing basketball. With Rocky's help, he convinces them to play against another team. At the match, the kids are very disorganized and fighting with the other team. Rocky asks Jerry if he can take over as referee. He takes the boys to task and they start to follow the rules. As Jerry and Laury watch on from the sidelines, Laury expresses her concern over the potential negative influence Rocky may be having on the gang, this is echoed by Jerry. Later, while walking home, Frazier's hit squad makes an attempt on Rocky's life. Rocky easily spots his tail and outwits the mobsters's attempted hit. In retaliation, he kidnaps Frazier, raiding his house at gunpoint and stealing $2,000 and a ledger. Rocky then brazenly approaches Frazier's business partner, Mac Keefer and requests $100,000 in trade for Frazier's release. With no other option Mac agrees and pays Rocky but as Rocky leaves, he informs on him to the police. Rocky is arrested and sets about mocking the police for their lack of evidence, even goading them to ring his lawyer (Frazier). Frazier approaches Mac and learns of Rocky's arrest. He informs Mac that Rocky is in possession of the ledger. This forces Frazier to tell the police it was all a "misunderstanding", and Rocky is released. Jerry learns of the kidnapping, and decides to go to the press to expose corruption in New York. Rocky tries unsuccessfully to stop Jerry as he knows the other mobsters won't take kindly to what the priest is trying to do. On the radio, Jerry denounces the corruption, as well as Rocky, Frazier and Keefer. Frazier and Keefer assure Rocky that no harm will come to Jerry, but he later overhears them renege on their earlier promise and also discovers that they plan to kill both Rocky and Jerry. To protect his friend, Rocky kills Frazier and Keefer instead and after escaping the casino, makes his way to an abandoned warehouse where he is forced to kill a police officer. A standoff ensues with other police. Jerry arrives and informs the police that he can reason with Rocky and get him to surrender peacefully. The police reluctantly agree to let the priest go into the warehouse. Jerry sees a trapped Rocky and implores him to surrender peacefully, telling him the entire building is surrounded, but Rocky takes Jerry hostage. While trying to escape, Rocky is shot in the leg and caught. After standing trial, he is sentenced to death. In Rocky's last few hours before this execution, Jerry visits with his old friend. He sees the negative impact Jerry could have on the Dead End Kids. Rocky informs Jerry that he intends to die proud and 'spitting in their eyes'. Jerry pleads with Rocky to look at the negative influence he has had on Soapy and the gang. He asks him to act like a coward and beg for mercy on his way to the death house, citing the impact it would have on the gang, potentially ruining the romantic image they have of the gangster lifestyle. Jerry begs Rocky to be braver and save Soapy from going down the same route he has gone himself. Rocky refuses, telling Jerry that his reputation is all that he has left. Jerry walks with Rocky as he is being led to his execution. He implores his friend one last time but is gruffly rebuffed. As they enter the execution room, Rocky stoically shakes Jerry's hand and wishes him well before walking to the electric chair. Then out of nowhere Rocky seems to break down begging and screaming for mercy. Rocky begins whimpering like a coward and this requires the guards to subdue him and forcefully drag him to the chair. Rocky seemingly dies a coward's death. Later, Soapy and the gang read in the newspapers of how Rocky "turned yellow" in the face of his execution and they refuse to believe it. Jerry comes in and Soapy asks if it is true that Rocky had died a coward, and Jerry affirms that it is true. The gang no longer know what to think about Rocky, or the criminal lifestyle and Jerry then asks them to accompany him to go say a prayer for "a boy who couldn't run as fast as I could".


Cast

*
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...
as William "Rocky" Sullivan, a notorious gangster, who just got out of prison. He is portrayed by Frankie Burke during adolescence. * Pat O'Brien as Fr. Jerry Connolly, a Catholic priest, who has been Rocky's friend since childhood. He is portrayed by William Tracy during adolescence. * The Dead End Kids as the neighborhood boys who idolize Rocky. Billy Halop plays their leader Soapy,
Bobby Jordan Robert G. Jordan (April 1, 1923 – September 10, 1965) was an American actor, most notable for being a member of the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids, and The Bowery Boys. Early life and career Jordan was born in Harrison, New York, At ...
appears as Swing, Leo Gorcey as Bim, Gabriel Dell as Pasty, Huntz Hall as Crab and
Bernard Punsly Bernard Punsly (July 11, 1923 – January 20, 2004) was an American actor who later left show business to become a physician. His last name was often spelled incorrectly in film credits as Punsley. Early life and acting career Punsly was born on ...
as Hunky. *
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...
as Jim Frazier, a crooked lawyer associated with organized crime. He owes Rocky $100,000. *
Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagne ...
as Laury Martin, Rocky's love interest, who has known him and Father Connolly since childhood. She is portrayed by Marilyn Knowlden during adolescence. * George Bancroft as Mac Keefer, a businessman and municipal contractor in league with Frazier. *
Adrian Morris Adrian Grant Morris (18 May 1929 – 6 December 2004) was an English painter. Early life Morris was born in London, England. He spent his childhood in rural Somerset before the family moved to the United States, where he attended the progr ...
as Blackie, a gangster who follows and tries to kill Rocky. * Emory Parnell as Officer McMann (uncredited)


Production


Development

Rowland Brown wrote the scenario for ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' in August, 1937. He was known in Hollywood for writing and directing a number of crime films in the early 1930s, including '' The Doorway to Hell'' and '' Quick Millions''. He presented the story to
Mervyn LeRoy Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. In his youth he played juvenile roles in vaudeville and silent film comedies. During the 1930s, LeRoy was one of the two great practitioners of ...
, who was keen to direct a " vehicle" starring the Dead End Kids, a group of young actors from New York. Brown and LeRoy tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a fee for the scenario. Brown then began pitching the film to other studios, and eventually made a deal with Grand National Pictures, who wanted James Cagney to star in the lead role. By the end of 1935, it became apparent to Cagney and his business manager brother, William, that Warner Brothers were only interested in paying him a "very small percentage of the income dollar derived" from his work. Therefore, Cagney had no choice and walked away until a better arrangement with Warner could be made. After filing a lawsuit to "rectify the inequalities," Cagney started working for Grand National Pictures, a small studio compared to Warner.Cagney, chapter 4, pp. 20–21. At the time he was offered the role of Rocky Sullivan, Cagney had already made one film for Grand National, '' Great Guy'', but fearing he would be typecast in "tough guy" roles, as he had been at Warner, Cagney turned down the role and opted to star in ''
Something to Sing About "Something to Sing About" (actual title: "This Land of Ours") is one of Canada's national songs, a patriotic song written by folk singer Oscar Brand that sings the praises of the many different regions of Canada. It has some similarities to "Sco ...
''. The film's budget grew to an astronomical $900 thousand, and, on its release, did not fare well at the box office.Neibaur, p. 164. Its underperformance is believed to have been a contributing factor in the 1939 bankruptcy of Grand National.Fernett, p. 41. Following ''Something to Sing About'', Cagney returned to Warner after reaching a better deal with them. At his brother's insistence, he took Brown's story with him and presented it to the studio. Warner acquired the story and then asked a number of directors to take on the project. LeRoy was the first, and although he showed interest, he was unable to commit because he was making films for MGM; Warner then asked Brown, who showed no interest at all; and finally, Michael Curtiz, who accepted their offer.


Casting

Although Cagney had been convinced that he would never agree to play the role of a coward being dragged to his execution, he became enthusiastic about portraying Rocky, seeing it as an opportunity to prove that his acting range extended beyond tough guy roles.Here's a look at Warner Bros.. 90 Years of Great Filmmaking
, '' Park Circus'', p. 4, published March 28, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
Neibaur, pp. 177–184. To play Rocky, Cagney drew on his memories of growing up in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, New York. His main inspiration was a drug-addicted pimp, who stood on a street corner all day hitching his trousers, twitching his neck, and repeating: "Whadda ya hear! Whadda ya say!" Those mannerisms came back to haunt Cagney, who later wrote in his autobiography: "I did those gestures maybe six times in the picture. That was over thirty years ago—and the impressionists have been doing me doing him ever since."Neibaur, p. 179.Naremore, p. 164. Cagney's other inspiration was his childhood friend, Peter "Bootah" Hessling, who was convicted of murder and executed by electric chair on July 21, 1927. The night Bootah was executed, Cagney was playing in a Broadway performance, and wept on hearing of his death.Hughes, chapter 4, p. 3.Neibaur, p. 2. Pat O'Brien was cast as Father Jerry Connolly, Rocky's childhood friend. O'Brien had been a contract player with Warner Bros. since 1933, and eventually left the studio in 1940 following a dispute over the terms of his renewal contract.O'Brien, pp. 260–61. He and Cagney first met in 1926 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. O'Brien was a "lonely, young" actor "playing in a stock company". He heard the stage play ''Women Go on Forever'' (by Mary Boland) was coming to Asbury Park and on its way to Broadway. Wanting to meet the star of the show, he went backstage after a performance and met Cagney for the first time. Parkinson, Michael
"James Cagney and Pat O'Brien on the ''Parkinson'' talk show"
'' Parkinson'' / '' BBC One'', published January 1, 1981. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
O'Brien and Cagney became great friends and remained so until the former's death in 1983.Zibart, Eve
"Beloved Actor Pat O'Brien Dies of Heart Attack"
, '' The Washington Post'', published October 16, 1983. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
Cagney died only three years later.Flint, Peter B.
"James Cagney Is Dead at 86; Master of Pugnacious Grace"
, ''The New York Times'', published March 31, 1986. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
By May 1938, the Dead End Kids had already starred in Samuel Goldwyn's '' Dead End''; as well as Warner's '' Crime School'' (both with Humphrey Bogart). They had signed a two-year contract with Goldwyn in 1937, but he sold the contract to Warner Bros. the same year because of their behavior on the set of ''Dead End''; in one instance, they "jumped" Bogart and "stole his pants" while in another they crashed a truck into a soundstage.Hayes and Walker, pp. 56–74. Bogart portrays the crooked lawyer Jim Frazier in ''Angels With Dirty Faces''. German scholar Winfried Fluck described Bogart's character, Jim Frazier, as an "entirely negative" and "thoroughly bad figure," in "contrast" with Cagney's antihero.Fluck, p. 386.


Writing

Brown's story was revised a number of times by
John Wexley John Wexley (1907 – February 4, 1985) was an American writer, best known for his play ''The Last Mile''. Early life and career Wexley was born in New York City. His early career involved acting as part of Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Thea ...
and Warren Duff. They provided "powerful treatments," but as with many of the "catch-as-catch-can" pictures of the time, the screenplay was considered insubstantial. Cagney later recalled: "the actors had to patch up
he script He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
here and there by improvising right on the set".Cagney, chapter 4, p. 26.


Filming

Principal photography began in June 1938 at Warner's Burbank studios,Pollock, Arthur
"News and Comment of Summer Activities in the Stage and Screen World"
, '' The Brooklyn Daily Eagle'', published June 28, 1938. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
and finished a week behind schedule in August, due mostly to the time it took to shoot the scenes of Rocky's gunfight with police and his execution. Cagney's opening scene with the Dead End Kids took place in the basement of a deserted building. By this time, the Dead End Kids "had been throwing their weight around quite a bit with therdirectors and actors". As the scene was being shot, Leo Gorcey jokingly ad-libbed "he's psychic!, thereby throwing the rhythm of the scene right out the window, souring the whole thing very nicely". So in the next take, just before he said "come here, suckers," Cagney "stiff arm d Gorceyright above the nose. His head went back nd hitthe kid behind him, stunning them both momentarily."Cagney, chapter 4, p. 30. Huntz Hall saw Gorcey being hit, and later recalled in 1978: "Leo hated agneyfor the rest of his life" after the incident.Neibaur, p. 176. While filming Rocky's shootout with the police, one scene called for Cagney to be "right at the opening" as machine-gun bullets took out the windows above his head. At this point in his career, Cagney had experience with the unpredictability of using live gunfire and he later recalled that either "common sense or a hunch" made him cautious. He told Curtiz to " hoot the scenein process," and as he got out of the way, "Burke, the professional machine gunner, fired the shots". One of the bullets deflected hitting "the steel edge of the window," and going "right through the wall" where Cagney's head had been. This experience convinced Cagney that "flirting this way with real bullets was ridiculous".Cagney, chapter 4, pp. 27–28. Rocky's execution was shot at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility.Mogul, Fred
"Luring Tourists Up the River to The Big House"
'' WNYC'', published January 8, 2005. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
Coscia, Elizabeth
"Sing Sing Correctional Facility Plans Dark Museum"
'' Observer'', published June 23, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
The death house featured in the film was designed by state architect Lewis Pilcher; it went into service in February 1922.Christianson, p. 17. For years, viewers have wondered if Rocky really turns yellow as he is being strapped into the electric chair, or if he is faking it in order to keep his promise to Jerry. Cagney later said: "In looking at the film, it is virtually impossible to say which course Rocky took—which is just the way I wanted it. I played he rolewith deliberate ambiguity so that the spectators can orm their own opinions It seems to me it works out fine in either case."Cagney, chapter 4, pp. 32–33.


Release

The film premiered on November 26, 1938,Hanson, p. 60. at the Majestic Theater in Reno, Nevada.NSJ Staff. "Angels with Dirty Faces", '' Nevada State Journal'', p. 2, published November 26, 1938. Retrieved May 19, 2017. ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' grossed $1.7 million from the worldwide box office, and is said to have been a financial success. Analysts claim that if it weren't for ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' and two other films directed by Curtiz that year ('' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' and '' Four Daughters''), Warner Bros. would have lost a considerable amount of money, resulting in negative turnover for the company's 1938 fiscal year.


Home media

In 1983, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' was released on VHS and
Betamax Betamax (also known as Beta, as in its logo) is a consumer-level analog recording and cassette format of magnetic tape for video, commonly known as a video cassette recorder. It was developed by Sony and was released in Japan on May 10, 1975, ...
by CBS/Fox Video.Dans, p. 350. In February 2005, a digitally-remastered version of the film was released on DVD.Kipp, Jeremiah
"Angels with Dirty Faces"
''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'', published February 2, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
The release was part of the "James Cagney Collection","DVDs of the week: The James Cagney Collection and more"
'' The Daily Telegraph'', published February 28, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
in which a number of special bonus features were made available, including: audio commentary by film historian Dana Polan, an "Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?" featurette, a radio production, film trailers, and a short film titled "Warner Night at the Movies" with film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. In December 2021, Warner Archive Collection released a Blu-ray version of film, newly restored in HD using a 4K scan from the original camera negative, accompanied by all the same bonus material from the 2005 DVD release.


Adaptations in other media

''Angels with Dirty Faces'' has been adapted into two radio plays. The first was the May 22, 1939, broadcast of '' Lux Radio Theater'', with Cagney and O'Brien reprising their film roles;Neibaur, p. 173. the second on the September 19, 1941, broadcast of the '' Philip Morris Playhouse'', starring
Sylvia Sidney Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Kosow; August 8, 1910 – July 1, 1999) was an American stage, screen and film actress whose career spanned over 70 years. She rose to prominence in dozens of leading roles in the 1930s. She was nominated for the Aca ...
.Paper Clipping from page 17 of the September 19, 1941, edition of the ''Harrisburg Telegraph''
'' www.newspapers.com'', published July 21, 2015. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
In 1995, an Indian version of the film was released, called '' Ram Jaane''. It starred Shahrukh Khan as Rocky, and carried out the original story from start to finish, albeit Indianized.


Critical reception


Initial reactions

''Angels with Dirty Faces'' was met with critical acclaim upon release. Frank Nugent, of '' The New York Times'', attended the world premiere in Nevada, and called the film a "savage melodrama" offering "Cagney at his best".Abramson, p. 1551. The New York-based motion picture journal ''
Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...
'' had similar views. In a review dated November 5, 1938, they called the film a "powerful gangster melodrama," and said it is "one of the most thrilling pictures produced in some time." The "acting, particularly by James Cagney, is brilliant".Harrison Staff. "Angels with Dirty Faces", ''
Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...
'', p. 179, published November 5, 1938. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
On the other hand, Hobe Morrison of '' Variety'' was less enthused stating "On the strength of the Cagney-O'Brien combo, 'Angels' should do fair business, but the picture itself is no bonfire. That 'Dead End' kid story has already been told too many times." and "Although the deathhouse scene itself is a harrowing one, that simulated cowardice angle, seems completely implausible...It's a novel twist to a commonplace story, but it's thoroughly hokey".


Accolades

Cagney won two awards for Best Actor from the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle."'Angels with Dirty Faces' Accolades"
''The New York Times'', published January 1, 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
"New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Actor"
, '' New York Film Critics Circle'', first published January 3, 1939. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
''Angels with Dirty Faces'' was nominated for three
awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award ...
at the
11th Academy Awards The 11th Academy Awards were held on February 23, 1939, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. It was the first Academy Awards show without an official host. Frank Capra became the first person to win three Best Director awards, t ...
ceremony: Best Actor (for Cagney), Best Director (for Curtiz), and Best Writing (for Brown)."11th Academy Award Winners and Nominees"
'' Academy Awards'', first published February 23, 1939. Retrieved December 7, 2015.


Contemporary consensus

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports 100% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 21 reviews collected retrospectively, with an average rating of 8.05/10. In 2005, ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' praised ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' for being Warner's "best gangster movie". Awarding four out of four stars, Jeremiah Kipp said: "Rocky Sullivan embodies all the qualities we love about bad guys." Cagney "offers a real intensity and a sense of playfulness," even as he shoots "fellow gangsters" dead. The final, "climactic" scene of "cowardice is unparalleled in gangster movies, and the more Cagney begs and screams, the more e areamazed at how he reduces the hero worship of gangsters to nothing. he film marksCagney's finest hour in a career filled with great performances."


Legacy

''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is widely regarded as one of the best films of all time; one of the finest in Cagney's career, and a "true example of brilliant American cinema." In 2008, it was shortlisted by the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
for selection in its list of the top 100 movies of the last 100 years.The American Film Institute's "10 top 10: 100 Years... 100 Movies Ballot
, ''
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
'', published January 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
In 2013, Steven Van Zandt named it as one of his "most favorite mob movies" in an article for '' Rolling Stone''. Van Zandt, Steven
"Steven Van Zandt's Favorite Mob Movies"
'' Rolling Stone Magazine'', published December 2, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
Two years later, ''Slant Magazine'' named it 67th in a list of the "100 Best Film Noirs of All Time".Schurr, Amanda
"The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time"
''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'', published August 9, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
Over the years, the film has inspired a number of parodies. In 1939, Warner Bros. released a cartoon short spoofing their "cycle" of crime films; the cartoon's title, ''Thugs with Dirty Mugs'', is a direct pun on ''Angels with Dirty Faces''.Wells, chapter 25, pp. 141–43. In the early 1990s, parodies appeared in the form of films within a film in '' Home Alone'' and its sequel, '' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York''. These parodies are called ''Angels with Filthy Souls'' and ''Angels with Even Filthier Souls''.King, Darryn
"Inside the Making of ''Home Alone''’s Fake Gangster Movie"
'' Vanity Fair'', published December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
Wilkinson, Amy
"''Home Alone'' turns 25: A deep dive with director Chris Columbus"
, '' Entertainment Weekly'', published November 6, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
The former of the two later reappeared in the film ''Detective Pikachu''. In an episode of '' Sesame Street'', a segment entitled ''Monsters with Dirty Faces'' features "Officer Grover showing a gang leader named Rocky how to effectively wash his face." Furthermore, the film's plot inspired an episode of '' Batman: The Animated Series'' called ''It's Never Too Late''.Neibaur, p. 181. The British
sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...
TV series '' Hale and Pace'' parodied the film in a sketch titled ''Angels with Big Trousers'', with Norman Pace playing "James Cagney as Rocky Pantaloon" and Gareth Hale playing "Somebody O'Brien as the Irishman."
Sham 69 Sham 69 are an English punk rock band that formed in Hersham in Surrey in 1975. They were one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, achieving five top 20 singles, including "If the Kids Are United" and "Hurry Up Harry". The ...
, an English punk rock group, had a hit single called " Angels with Dirty Faces" in 1978. Frontman Jimmy Pursey was inspired to write the song after watching Cagney in the film one evening with his friend, Chrissie.Deal, pp. 119–120. The Pillows also have a song based on the film titled "I Want to Be Sullivan," and features a sample taken from the film in the song's intro. A bar in New York City is called " Rocky Sullivan's Pub", named after Cagney's character in the film.


See also

*
1938 in film The year 1938 in film involved some significant events. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1938 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events *January – MGM announces that Judy Garland will be cast in the ro ...
* List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes


Notes and references


Notes


References


Further reading

* Abramson, Abraham (1970). ''The New York Times Film Reviews, Vol. 2 1932–1938''. United States: The New York Times/Arno Press. . * Anastasia, George & Macnow, Glen (2011). ''The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies : Featuring the 100 Greatest Gangster Films of All Time''. United States:
Running Press Running Press is an American publishing company and member of the Perseus Books Group. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with many of the corporate functions taking place in Perseus' New York City headquarters. I ...
. . * Cagney, James (1976). ''Cagney by Cagney''. United States: Doubleday & Company, Inc. . * Christianson, Scott (2001). ''Condemned: Inside the Sing Sing Death House''. United States: NYU Press. . * Dans, Peter E. (2011). ''Christians in the Movies: A Century of Saints and Sinners''. United States:
Rowman & Littlefield Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing compa ...
. . * Deal, Mick (2015). ''Exploding School to Pieces: Growing Up With Pop Culture In the 1970s''. United Kingdom:
Lulu Press Lulu Press, Inc., doing business under trade name Lulu, is an online print-on-demand, self-publishing, and distribution platform. By 2014, it had issued approximately two million titles. The company's founder is Red Hat co-founder Bob Young. ...
. . * Eagan, Daniel (2012). ''America's Film Legacy, 2009–2010''. United Kingdom: Continuum. . * Fernett, Gene (1973). ''Hollywood's Poverty Row 1930–1950''. United States: Coral Reef. . * Fluck, Winfried (2001).
Crime, Guilt, and Subjectivity in Film Noir
" ''Amerikastudien / American Studies'' 46, no. 3, pp. 379–408. . * Hanson, Patricia King (1993). ''The AFI Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1931–1940''. United States: UC Press. . * Hayes, David and Walker, Brent (1984). ''The Films of the Bowery Boys''. United States: Citadel Press. . * Hughes, Howard (2006). ''Crime Wave: The Filmgoers' Guide to Great Crime Movies''. United Kingdom: I.B. Tauris. . * Kaplan, Mike (1983). ''Variety Film Reviews, Vol. 6 1938–1942''. United States: Garland Publishing. . * Naremore, James (1992). ''Acting in the Cinema''. United States: UC Press. . * Neibaur, James L. (2014). ''James Cagney: Films of the 1930s''. United States:
Rowman & Littlefield Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing compa ...
. . * O'Brien, Pat (1964). ''The Wind at My Back: The Life and Times of Pat O'Brien''. United States: Doubleday & Company, Inc. * Robertson, Dr. James C. (1993). ''The Casablanca Man: The Cinema of Michael Curtiz''. United Kingdom: Routledge. . * Wells, Paul (1998). ''Understanding Animation''. United Kingdom: Routledge. .


External links

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''Angels with Dirty Faces''
at Warner Brothers {{Authority control 1938 crime drama films 1938 films American crime drama films American black-and-white films Films scored by Max Steiner Films about the Irish Mob Films about capital punishment Films about Catholicism Films about Christianity Films about organized crime in the United States Films directed by Michael Curtiz Films produced by Samuel Bischoff American gangster films Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht Films with screenplays by Charles MacArthur Warner Bros. films Films set in 1920 Films set in 1935 1930s English-language films 1930s American films