150 Greatest Movie Performances Of All Time

Part one (150-121)

By Total FilmDec 8th 2008

7. 145. James Cagney - Arthur Cody Jarrett, White Heat (1949)

For Cody Jarrett, Cagney rolls up every iconic gangster he played in the ’30s into one strutting, snarling, raging ball – and tosses into the mix “the most explicit Oedipus complex in cinema” (critic Colin McArthur).

See Cody sitting on his whitehaired old mother’s knee! See him in jail, greeting the news of Mom’s death with a fit of terrifying intensity – sobbing, staggering, demolishing every guard that comes at him.

“There’s not a reliable or healthy relationship in the film,” noted film critic David Thompson. Aw, but the boy loved his mother…

Greatest Moment: Gotta be the ending: “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” Ka-boom!

Also See: Tom Powers (Public Enemy), Eddie Bartlett (The Roaring Twenties), George M Cohan (Yankee Doodle Dandy).

Like this? Then try...

Comments

Leave a comment

Most Popular

  • News

    1. Reviews

      1. Features

        1. Video

          Close

          Log In to Total Film

          Forgotten your password?

          Close

          Join Total Film

          Registration is quick and easy

          Hint: The film starred Michael J Fox as accidental time traveller Marty McFly.

          As you are registering with Total Film, we would like to think that you'd enjoy receiving the following emails. If you'd rather not receive them, please untick the boxes:

          * Mandatory fields