Review of White Heat (1949) by Rick Q — 14 Aug 2012
Talk about a classic! The first 20 minutes has more suspense than most films have within their full run time. Cagney creates the perfect anti-hero that's hell bent on being at the "Top of the World", but never reaches such heights.
He's a cold blooded killer, shooting helpless people without flinching (these are shown throughout the film). WHITE HEAT succeeds in creating a particular uneasiness within the viewer who's watching this flick.
I mean, it's not often you see innocent people getting murdered in a classic film. Nor is it often when an actor can convince an audience that maybe the bad guy is not as bad as he makes himself out to be.
Cagney plays the character as a man with a mother complex, who has inherited the families nuttiness. But he only unveils his lunacy every so often during the film, until the end, when it just seeps out.
This review of White Heat (1949) was written by Rick Q on 14 Aug 2012.
White Heat has generally received very positive reviews.
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