Review of Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) by Jens T — 17 Sep 2011

Michael Curtiz' Angels with Dirty Faces is a wonderful gangster drama about the young generation in the Chicago slums that's admire the older generation of gangsters that is in charge of the streets. This movie caused so much furore in other countries that it was banned, even in my country, Norway. mostly because of the fear that young people who'd be more criminal after watching this movie.

Angels with Dirty Faces is the story about the mobster Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) who's after taking the heat for a crime finally is released from prison, and needs to find a place to stay. So he chose to go to his old neighborhood to visit his childhood friend Jerry Connolly (Pat O'Brien) whom he did a lot of pickpocketing together, but he's now a reverend, but that doesn't mean that they doesn't come a long, but the time will show, how willing Jerry want to stick his neck out for his old friend. Rocky also befriends a gang of young pickpockets (Dead End Kids) who Rocky uses for his own winning, and stops showing up for basketball practice with Rev. Jerry. Another problems is that Rocky's boss owes him money, so the boss wants him dead so he can hold Rocky's share for himself. But Rocky isn't that stupid.

Angels with Dirty Faces is a good gangster film, with a lot of intelligent, and snappy street smart dialogues from James Cagney. Humphrey Bogart also has a supporting performance as Rocky's lawyer James Frazier, which is as good as his other roles to come. A good smart one. Thumbs up.