A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist.A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist.A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 2 nominations total
Joel Allen
- Operative
- (uncredited)
Claudia Barrett
- Cashier
- (uncredited)
Ray Bennett
- Guard
- (uncredited)
Marshall Bradford
- Chief of Police
- (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
- Convict
- (uncredited)
John Butler
- Motorist at Gas Station
- (uncredited)
Robert Carson
- Agent at Directional Map
- (uncredited)
Bill Cartledge
- Car-Hop at Drive-In Theatre
- (uncredited)
Bill Clark
- Guard
- (uncredited)
Leo Cleary
- Railroad Fireman
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe character of Cody Jarrett was based on New York murderer Francis Crowley, who engaged in a pitched battle with police in the spring of 1931 at the age of 18. Before his execution in the electric chair on 1/21/32, Crowley's last words were, "Send my love to my mother."
- GoofsIn two different scenes, police cars pass in front of the same supermarket, though one scene is supposed to be in Los Angeles and the other in Illinois.
- Quotes
Cody Jarrett: Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
- Crazy creditsMax Steiner altered the Warner Brothers familiar introductory theme to segue directly into his theme for the opening credits,
- Alternate versionsAlso Available in a Colorized Version.
- ConnectionsEdited into Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)
- SoundtracksFive O'Clock Whistle
(1940) (uncredited)
Music by Josef Myrow, Kim Gannon & Gene Irwin
Played on a radio
Featured review
WHITE HEAT is the ultimate gangster melodrama with the great James Cagney at the peak of his powers. No one else in the cast is a slouch either--Virginia Mayo convinces me that Bette Davis was right when she suggested Mayo should have played Rosa Moline in BEYOND THE FOREST.
Edmond O'Brien as a doggedly determined cop pretending to be a prisoner to get close to Cagney, is excellent, as he always is in these kind of roles. Steve Cochran's dirty lowdown heel is a standout as the darkly handsome actor makes the most of every line, especially in his scenes opposite Virginia Mayo.
Director Raoul Walsh keeps the film spinning along at a fast clip, never once letting the rather uncomplicated plot lose any of its tension as he underscores the pathology of Cody Jarrett's character, a man obsessed by his conniving mother (Margaret Wycherly). Cagney's prison breakup scene is masterfully handled by the actor and staged for maximum effect. A rousing score by Max Steiner underlines all of the suspenseful action and there's an electrifying climax with Cagney's famous "Top of the world, ma!" before he meets his end.
James Cagney has never had a better gangster role and he's given brilliant support by an outstanding cast. By all means, worth viewing as one of the great Warner crime melodramas of the late '40s.
Edmond O'Brien as a doggedly determined cop pretending to be a prisoner to get close to Cagney, is excellent, as he always is in these kind of roles. Steve Cochran's dirty lowdown heel is a standout as the darkly handsome actor makes the most of every line, especially in his scenes opposite Virginia Mayo.
Director Raoul Walsh keeps the film spinning along at a fast clip, never once letting the rather uncomplicated plot lose any of its tension as he underscores the pathology of Cody Jarrett's character, a man obsessed by his conniving mother (Margaret Wycherly). Cagney's prison breakup scene is masterfully handled by the actor and staged for maximum effect. A rousing score by Max Steiner underlines all of the suspenseful action and there's an electrifying climax with Cagney's famous "Top of the world, ma!" before he meets his end.
James Cagney has never had a better gangster role and he's given brilliant support by an outstanding cast. By all means, worth viewing as one of the great Warner crime melodramas of the late '40s.
- How long is White Heat?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Maschinenpistolen
- Filming locations
- 198th Street and Figueroa, Torrance, California, USA(final scene at Shell Oil plant)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,300,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $5,534
- Runtime1 hour 54 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content