White Heat

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White Heat

1949

1h 54m

Crime

Drama

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

83 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Gang leader Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) lives for his mother, planning heists between horrible headaches. During a train robbery that goes wrong, Cody shoots an investigator. Realizing Cody will never be stopped if he knows he's being pursued, authorities plant undercover agent Hank (Edmond O'Brien) in Cody's cell. When his mother dies, a distraught Cody breaks out of jail, bringing Hank along to join his gang. With Hank in communication with the police, Cody plans a payroll heist.

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Critics Consensus

Raoul Walsh's crime drama goes further into the psychology of a gangster than most fear to tread and James Cagney's portrayal of the tragic anti-hero is constantly volatile.

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

Apr 23, 2024

James Cagney gives an astounding, realistic, terrific portrayal of a gangster as menacing and as ruthless as any ever played on the screen as the star of White Heat.

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Kate Cameron

New York Daily News

Apr 23, 2024

3.5/4

White Heat, made by Warners, under Raoul Walsh's direction and suggested by a Virginia Kellogg story, is a highly exciting cops and robbers melodrama. One scene of violence follows another, until the thrilling climax.

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Mae Tinée

Chicago Tribune

Apr 23, 2024

Here's a taut crime melodrama, with punch and pace, which is very, likely to start a whole new cycle of such pictures... it looks like Director Raoul Walsh and the practiced Mr. Cagney have put the public enemy back in business again.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jul 28, 2025

4/4

James Cagney delivers his best performance this side of his Oscar-winning work in Yankee Doodle Dandy.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jul 22, 2025

4/5

James Cagney’s turn is a Nicholsonian rip-roarer in which you can clock his mania down to the millisecond, and all of the sophisticated character work is complemented by a delightfully & densely plotted narrative that holds up by contemporary standards.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Nov 16, 2024

... it’s absolutely ferocious and Cagney gives a blindingly unhinged performance as an emotionally unstable and mentally unbalanced Jarrett, putting his dancer’s moves to work in a riveting physical performance.

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Alexandre C

@adjuvante Aug 13, 2026

James Cagney is terrific

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William B

@A1reviews Apr 27, 2026

For an old movie this one has a lot going for it. It's an enjoyable watch. Some twists, some turns and yea the guy escapes prison a bit too easily to fit the plot but hey...it's pretty good all told

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Kim P

@RT98672688 Apr 20, 2026

It's hard to believe how well this movie has held up. It's even harder to believe that no studio has tried to remake it, although I'm grateful that they haven't because I don't think they could do it justice. It's very amusing that at one point one cop has to explain the gadget in his hand is a fishing reel and it reminds you that the film is over 75 years old! Cagney was a vastly underrated actor.

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Orin D

@RT64117979 Jan 20, 2026

No less an authority than Orson Welles called Cagney "The most talented actor that ever stepped in front of a camera" (a paraphrase). Cagney's range from George M. Cohan in "Born on the 4th of July" to the gangster w/ a heart of gold Rocky Sullivan in "Angels With Dirty Faces" to the psychopathic Cody Jarret here in "White Heat" is breathtaking. Costars Mayo & Edmond O'Brien as the undercover copper & Magaret Wycherly as Ma Jarret are all excellent &Walsh is considered a "pantheon" director for good reason. This is a must see flick. It certainly numbers among my favorites one I will periodically return to watch again. "Top of the world, Ma!"

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Mickey B.

@Mickerdoo Jan 18, 2026

Classic crime crew heist and lockup. Cagney plays a good homicidal wacko. Enjoyed Archer as the treasury agent. Love fedora era cops.

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Cody J

@RT48755335 Sep 27, 2025

Widely regarded as one of the best noirs, it's my personal favorite. The first time I watched this movie I enjoyed it so much that upon finishing I started it over and watched it a second time. Compelling from beginning to end with Cagney firing on all cylinders. It simply does not get any better than this.

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Raoul Walsh

Director

James Cagney

Arthur "Cody" Jarrett

Virginia Mayo

Verna Jarrett

Edmond O'Brien

Vic Pardo

Margaret Wycherly

Ma Jarrett

Steve Cochran

Big Ed Somers

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Synopsis

Gang leader Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) lives for his mother, planning heists between horrible headaches. During a train robbery that goes wrong, Cody shoots an investigator. Realizing Cody will never be stopped if he knows he's being pursued, authorities plant undercover agent Hank (Edmond O'Brien) in Cody's cell. When his mother dies, a distraught Cody breaks out of jail, bringing Hank along to join his gang. With Hank in communication with the police, Cody plans a payroll heist.

Director: Raoul Walsh
Producer: Louis F. Edelman
Screenwriter: Virginia Kellogg, Ivan Goff
Distributor: Key Video, Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 2, 1949, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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