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''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is a 1938 American
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
film directed by
Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz (; born Manó Kaminer; from 1905 Mihály Kertész; ; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silen ...
for
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
. It stars
James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids,
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
, Ann Sheridan, and
George Bancroft George Bancroft (October 3, 1800 – January 17, 1891) was an American historian, statesman and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state of Massachusetts ...
. The
screenplay A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...
was written by John Wexley and Warren Duff based on the story by
Rowland Brown Rowland Brown (November 6, 1900 – May 6, 1963), born Chauncey Rowland Brown in Canton, Ohio, was an American screenwriter and film director, whose career as a director ended in the early 1930s after he started many more films than he finished. ...
. The film chronicles the relationship of the notorious gangster William "Rocky" Sullivan with his childhood friend and now-priest Father Jerry Connolly. After spending three 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 Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939. The company ha ...
, 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, and hosted by Frank Capra. Frank Capra became the first person to win three Best Director awards, to be followed by John Ford (who woul ...
, the film was nominated in three categories: Best Actor (Cagney), Best Director (Curtiz), and Best Story (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 History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
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 Yor ...
'' in 2015. In 2024, the film was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...
by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."


Plot

In 1920, two
Irish-American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
youths, Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly, attempt to rob a railroad car carrying
fountain pen A fountain pen is a writing instrument that uses a metal nib (pen), nib to apply Fountain pen ink, water-based ink, or special pigment ink—suitable for fountain pens—to paper. It is distinguished from earlier dip pens by using an internal r ...
s. Jerry escapes from the police, while Rocky is caught and sentenced to
reform school A reform school was a Prison, penal institution, generally for teenagers, mainly operating between 1830 and 1900. In the United Kingdom and its colonies, reformatory, reformatories (commonly called reform schools) were set up from 1854 onward f ...
. 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, Frazier will keep Rocky's share of the robbery, $100,000 (equal to $ today) safe until the day Rocky 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. He also rents a room in a
boarding house A boarding house is a house (frequently a family home) in which lodging, lodgers renting, rent one or more rooms on a nightly basis and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months, or years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and ...
run by Laury Martin, a girl he bullied as a youth. 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 (equal to $ today). After leaving Frazier's casino, Rocky has his pocket picked by a gang of young toughs: Soapy, Swing, Bim, Pasty, Crab, and Hunky. After he tracks them down to his old childhood hideout and proves he is no sucker, the tough kids admit to an admiration of Rocky's reputation and criminal lifestyle. After retrieving his wallet and money, 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 another team. At the match, the kids are very disorganized and fighting with the other team. Rocky takes the boys to task, and they start to follow the rules. As Jerry and Laury watch, Laury expresses her concern over the potential negative influence Rocky may be having on the gang. Later, Frazier's
hit squad The Hit Squad is an American hip hop collective of East Coast hip hop artists. Originally formed in the 1990s by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of the rap group EPMD, the group included rap artists such as K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Top ...
makes an attempt on Rocky's life. Rocky easily spots his tail and outwits the mobsters' attempted hit. In retaliation, he kidnaps Frazier, raiding his house at gunpoint and stealing $2,000 and a
ledger A ledger is a book or collection of accounts in which accounting transactions are recorded. Each account has: * an opening or brought-forward balance; *a list of transactions, each recorded as either a debit or credit in separate columns (usu ...
. Rocky then approaches Frazier's business partner, Mac Keefer, and requests $100,000 in trade for Frazier's release. Mac pays, 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. Frazier 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. 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 discovers that they plan to kill both him 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 kills 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. The police reluctantly let him go into the warehouse. Jerry sees a trapped Rocky and implores him to surrender peacefully, telling him the building is surrounded, but Rocky takes Jerry
hostage A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized—such as a relative, employer, law enforcement, or government—to act, o ...
. 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 execution, Jerry visits. He sees the negative impact Rocky could have on the Dead End Kids and asks him to beg for mercy on his way to the death house, citing the impact it would have on the gang, ruining their romantic image of the gangster lifestyle. Rocky refuses, telling Jerry that his reputation is all that he has left. As they enter the execution room, Rocky shakes Jerry's hand and wishes him well before walking to the electric chair. Then out of nowhere Rocky breaks down, begging and screaming for mercy, and 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. The gang no longer knows what to think about Rocky or the criminal lifestyle, and Jerry asks them to accompany him to 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 and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...
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 William Tracy (December 1, 1917 – July 18, 1967) was an American character actor. Early life and career Tracy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is perhaps best known for the role of Pepi Katona, the delivery boy, in '' The Shop Ar ...
during adolescence. * The Dead End Kids as the neighborhood boys who idolize Rocky.
Billy Halop William Halop (February 11, 1920 – November 9, 1976) was an American actor. Early life Halop was born to Benjamin Cohen Halop and Lucille Elizabeth Halop on February 11, 1920. Halop came from a theatrical family; his mother was a dancer, and ...
plays their leader Soapy, Bobby Jordan appears as Swing,
Leo Gorcey Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917– June 2, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, famous for portraying the leader of a group of street-wise city toughs known variously as the Dead End Kids, East Side Kids, the East Side Kids, and as adults ...
as Bim, Gabriel Dell as Pasty,
Huntz Hall Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall (August 15, 1920 – January 30, 1999) was an American radio, stage, and movie performer who appeared in the popular "Dead End Kids" movies, including ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), and in the later "The Bowe ...
as Crab and Bernard Punsly as Hunky. *
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
as Jim Frazier, a crooked lawyer associated with organized crime. He owes Rocky $100,000. * Ann Sheridan 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 George Bancroft (October 3, 1800 – January 17, 1891) was an American historian, statesman and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state of Massachusetts ...
as Mac Keefer, a businessman and municipal contractor in league with Frazier. * Adrian Morris as Blackie, a gangster who follows and tries to kill Rocky. *
Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Parnell was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He spent eight months in the Arct ...
as Officer McMann (uncredited)


Production


Development

Rowland Brown Rowland Brown (November 6, 1900 – May 6, 1963), born Chauncey Rowland Brown in Canton, Ohio, was an American screenwriter and film director, whose career as a director ended in the early 1930s after he started many more films than he finished. ...
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. During the 1930s, he was one of the two great practitioners of economical and effective film directing at Warner Bros., Warner Brothers studios, ...
, who was keen to direct a "
vehicle A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered land vehicle, human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velo ...
" 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 Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939. The company ha ...
, 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 William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
, that
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
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 Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939. The company ha ...
, 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 ''Great Guy'' is a 1936 American crime film noir directed by John G. Blystone and starring James Cagney. In the film, an honest inspector for the New York Department of Weights and Measures takes on corrupt merchants and politicians. Plot After ...
'', 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 may refer to: Philosophy and language * Something (concept) * "Something", an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scot ...
''. 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 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
; 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 Mary Boland (born Marie Anne Boland; January 28, 1882 – June 23, 1965) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boland was the daughter of repertory actor William Augustus Boland, and his wife ...
) 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 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
'', 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 ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', published October 16, 1983. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
Cagney died only three years later. By May 1938, the Dead End Kids had already starred in
Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (; born Szmuel Gelbfisz; ; July 1879 (most likely; claimed to be August 27, 1882) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer and pioneer in the American film industry, who produce ...
'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 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 scripthere 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 The ''Brooklyn Eagle'' (originally joint name ''The Brooklyn Eagle'' and ''Kings County Democrat'', later ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle'' before shortening title further to ''Brooklyn Eagle'') was an afternoon daily newspaper published in the city ...
'', 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
ther Ther may refer to: * ''Thér.'', taxonomic author abbreviation of Irénée Thériot (1859–1947), French bryologist * Agroha Mound, archaeological site in Agroha, Hisar district, India * Therapy A therapy or medical treatment is the attempte ...
directors and actors". As the scene was being shot,
Leo Gorcey Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917– June 2, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, famous for portraying the leader of a group of street-wise city toughs known variously as the Dead End Kids, East Side Kids, the East Side Kids, and as adults ...
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 Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall (August 15, 1920 – January 30, 1999) was an American radio, stage, and movie performer who appeared in the popular "Dead End Kids" movies, including ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), and in the later "The Bowe ...
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 A process is a series or set of activities that interact to produce a result; it may occur once-only or be recurrent or periodic. Things called a process include: Business and management * Business process, activities that produce a specific s ...
," 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 WNYC is an audio service brand, under the control of New York Public Radio, a non-profit organization. Radio and other audio programming is primarily provided by a pair of nonprofit, noncommercial, public radio stations: WNYC (AM) and WNYC- ...
'', published January 8, 2005. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
Coscia, Elizabeth
"Sing Sing Correctional Facility Plans Dark Museum"
''
Observer An observer is one who engages in observation or in watching an experiment. Observer may also refer to: Fiction * ''Observer'' (novel), a 2023 science fiction novel by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress * ''Observer'' (video game), a cyberpunk horr ...
'', 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


Theatrical

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 were not for ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' and two other films directed by Curtiz that year (''
The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Epic film, epic swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and written by Norman Reilly Ra ...
'' 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 VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s. Ma ...
and
Betamax Betamax (also known as Beta, and stylized as the Greek letter Beta, β in its logo) is a discontinued consumer analog Videotape, video cassette recording format developed by Sony. It was one of the main competitors in the videotape format war ag ...
by CBS/Fox Video.Dans, p. 350. In February 2005, a digitally-remastered version of the film was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
.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 Yor ...
'', 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 ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'', 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 Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film criti ...
. In December 2021,
Warner Archive Collection The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...
released a
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
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 ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a old-time radio, classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the Blue Network, NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of A ...
'', 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 ''Philip Morris Playhouse'' is a 30-minute old-time radio dramatic anthology series.Terrace, Vincent (1981), ''Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs 1930–1960''. A.S. Barnes & Company, Inc. . P. 214. The program " nerally ...
'', 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 70 years. She rose to prominence in dozens of leading roles in the 1930s. She was nominated for the Academy ...
.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 Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has appeared in more th ...
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 Frank Stanley Nugent (May 27, 1908 – December 29, 1965) was an American screenwriter, journalist, and film reviewer. He wrote 21 film scripts, 11 for director John Ford. He wrote almost a thousand reviews for ''The New York Times'' before lea ...
, of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', 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 publish ...
'' 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 publish ...
'', p. 179, published November 5, 1938. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
On the other hand, Hobe Morrison of ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' 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 The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...
and the
New York Film Critics Circle The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scho ...
."'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 The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scho ...
'', 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 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 may be d ...
at the
11th Academy Awards The 11th Academy Awards were held on February 23, 1939, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California, and hosted by Frank Capra. Frank Capra became the first person to win three Best Director awards, to be followed by John Ford (who woul ...
ceremony: Best Actor (for Cagney), Best Director (for Curtiz), and Best Writing (for Brown)."11th Academy Award Winners and Nominees"
''
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
'', first published February 23, 1939. Retrieved December 7, 2015.


Contemporary consensus

The
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
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 Yor ...
'' 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 considered by some to be one of the finest films 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 History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
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 History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
'', published January 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
In 2013,
Steven Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared i ...
named it as one of his "most favorite mob movies" in an article for ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
''. Van Zandt, Steven
"Steven Van Zandt's Favorite Mob Movies"
''
Rolling Stone Magazine ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known ...
'', published December 2, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
In 2015, ''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 Yor ...
'', 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 ''Home Alone'' is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dar ...
'' 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 ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', 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 ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...
'', a segment entitled ''Monsters with Dirty Faces'' features "Officer Grover showing a gang leader named Rocky how to effectively wash his face." 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" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
TV series ''
Hale and Pace Hale and Pace were an English comedy double-act that performed in clubs and on radio and television in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s. The duo was made up of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, with the ''Hale and Pace'' television show ...
'' 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 changed their musical direction after seeing the Sex Pistols play live in early 1976. They were one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, ac ...
, an English punk rock group, had a hit single called "
Angels with Dirty Faces ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers. It stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and George Bancroft. The screenplay was wr ...
" 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 New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
was called " Rocky Sullivan's Pub", named after Cagney's character in the film. Irish-American poet Michael Lally published a collection called ''Rocky Dies Yellow'' (1975), featuring a still from the film on the cover.


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 r ...
*
List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, a film has a rating of 100% if each professional review recorded by the website is assessed as positive rather than negative. The percentage is based on the film's reviews aggregated by the webs ...


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, a division of the Hachette Book Group. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with many of the corporate functions taking place in ...
. . * Cagney, James (1976). ''Cagney by Cagney''. United States: Doubleday & Company, Inc. . *
Christianson, Scott Keith (K.) Scott Christianson (August 8, 1947 – May 14, 2017)Casey Seiler.Scott Christianson, 69, acclaimed journalist, author and advocate: Longtime Capital Region resident delved into past and present of race in America" ''timesunion.com,'' M ...
(2001). ''Condemned: Inside the Sing Sing Death House''. United States:
NYU Press New York University Press (or NYU Press) is a university press that is part of New York University. History NYU Press was founded in 1916 by the then chancellor of NYU, Elmer Ellsworth Brown. Directors * Arthur Huntington Nason, 1916–193 ...
. . * Dans, Peter E. (2011). ''Christians in the Movies: A Century of Saints and Sinners''. United States:
Rowman & Littlefield Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an American independent academic publishing company founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns ...
. . * 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 Kensington Publishing Corp. is an American, New Yorkbased publishing house founded in 1974 by Walter Zacharius (1923–2011)Grimes, William''New York Times'' (MARCH 7, 2011). and Roberta Bender Grossman (1946–1992). Kensington is known as "Am ...
. . * 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 Garland Science was a publishing group that specialized in developing textbook A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet t ...
. . * 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 American independent academic publishing company founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns ...
. . * 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 Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...
. . * Wells, Paul (1998). ''Understanding Animation''. United Kingdom:
Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...
. .


External links

*
''Angels with Dirty Faces''
at
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
* {{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 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 English-language crime drama films United States National Film Registry films