One thing that 'White Heat (1949)' could never be accused of, like it's unhinged and off-type killer protagonist, is being predictable. It's constantly surprising as it powers through its relatively unconventional plot which - though sometimes a little unfocused - does a fantastic job of painting a clear picture of a violent criminal at its heart and keeping you on your toes throughout. The flick is entertaining and maintains a tight grip on its narrative, which is violent and exciting as it follows the deadly lifestyle of its central criminal character. It ends with a literal bang during a fantastic, frenetic shootout. 7/10

I think James Cagney's body of work is something to be very proud of and his loyal fans like myself are glad he made so many great films. Having said that I have watched this film three (3) times now and I just never got that good feeling that sometimes comes over me after watching a great crime film classic like (1972) The Godfather, (2015) Black Mass, (2012) The Iceman, and/or (1993) A Bronx Tale. I realize that I may be in the minority with my opinion but the film left me looking for quite a bit more in Cagney's mob boss character Cody Jarrett. The fixation with his "ma" was creative but for example, the scene in which Cody is in prison and whispers at the prison meal table to the guy sitting next to him who just got outside news that Cody's "ma" is dead was just so over the top that I found it to be too comical. I just could not see a mob boss after finding out his adorable "ma" is dead would scream out loud and literally crawl across the prison dinner table without anyone trying to stop him for acting like a big baby.I loved Virginia Mayo's portrayal as the selfish and beautiful blonde gun moll Virginia, wife of Cody Jarrett whose facial expressions when she observes the interactions between Cody and his mom provide us with her disdain for their relationship. No doubt, the film ending is a classic and extremely well done. I just was not so impressed with the other 110 minutes of the film.

WHITE HEAT is the last of the great crime/gangster movies starring James Cagney. This one was made a decade after the likes of ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES and THE ROARING TWENTIES and stars the noticeably aged star as a small-time criminal who ends up doing time in jail after a robbery goes awry.What follows is a thriller resplendent with solid performances, high drama, a great score, and some wonderfully enjoyable characterisations. Obviously the film belongs to Cagney, who relishes the part of the mother-fixated crime boss and rarely lets up from his on-screen intensity. The bit everyone remembers about WHITE HEAT is the climax, with one of the most famous scenes (and lines) in film history, and it really is perfection. But up until this point we get solid thrills, an interesting police procedural investigation, and some nice little set-pieces in a prison setting. It's all great stuff and one of the best of its era in my opinion.

. . . like the Fourth of July, as WHITE HEAT provides Leonardo Di Caprio's "I'm on top of the world!" TITANIC catch-phrase (which his character anachronistically steals 37 years too soon). James Cagney's "Cody Jarrett" keeps lamenting, "All I ever had was Ma," like a Helen Reddy tune on a skipping vinyl record. As always, Hollywood portrays American law enforcement as "Keystone Kops," here, playing around with ludicrously slow "tracking oscillators" (which take hours to do what a basic G.P.S. unit can accomplish instantaneously). As a result, the entire gasoline supply for the West Coast becomes collateral damage sacrificed to police ineptitude, no doubt resulting in scores of immediate civilian deaths, and hundreds--if not thousands--of cancer victims croaking days or decades down the road in one of the worst U.S. environmental catastrophes ever. Cagney's "Cody" has no luxuries apart from (most likely stolen) fast cars and his gun arsenal. Yet this self-proclaimed nut case is far more efficient and effective as a leader of men than anyone working for the government. He has the last laugh.