Our families are the people with whom we form our
first social bonds and through whom we assemble our first perceptions of the
outside world. As a result, our childhood experiences mold the way in which we
see and react to the world around us ,for better or worse. The 1949 gangster
classic White Heat, demonstrates just
how influential family relationships can be as it examines mother-son crime duo
Ma and Cody Jarrett. This review is a tribute to all the dedicated mothers out
there who have taught us how to make it to the top of the world, and more
importantly, how to avoid getting caught while we’re at it.
The story begins with the Jarrett gang, led by
psychotic gangster Cody Jarrett (James Cagney), holding up a train and killing
the train’s conductor in the process. The gang then flees the scene with one of
their members badly burned from the steam of the train’s engine. Rather than
risk being implicated in the robbery by taking him to the hospital, Cody orders
one of his men to kill the injured man. When the henchman is unable to kill his
friend, the injured man is able to leave just enough clues for the police to
link Cody to the robbery before ultimately freezing to death after the gang leaves him alone in an isolated cabin. Determined to end
Cody’s reign of terror, Detective Evans (John Archer) launches an investigation
into the Jarrett gang’s activities and nearly arrests Cody, but is thwarted in
his efforts when Cody takes credit for a lesser crime that occurred at the same
time in order to receive a lighter prison sentence.
While in prison, Cody leaves his criminal organization under the control of his
equally ruthless and determined mother, Ma Jarrett (Margaret Wycherly), who regularly
updates Cody about the gang’s activities and warns him against trusting any of
his fellow inmates. Meanwhile, Cody’s vindictive wife, Verna (Virginia Mayo),
begins an affair with his right hand man, “Big” Ed Somers (Steve Cochran).
Seeing opportunity presenting itself in Cody’s absence, Ed and Verna scheme to
have Ma and Cody murdered in an effort to gain control of the gang themselves.
When he learns of his mother’s death, Cody is unable to restrain himself any
longer and concocts an elaborate scheme to escape from prison and obtain his
revenge all the while unaware that his partner in the scheme, likable inmate Vic Pardo (Edmun
O’Brien), is actually an undercover cop working for Evans’ investigation. The
film’s series of plots, crosses, and double-crosses ultimately finishes in a
climax that is nothing short of explosive.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the film, and
certainly the element that separates the film from other entries in the
gangster genre, is the unique focus upon Cody’s relationship with Ma. While
preparing his investigation into Cody’s crimes, Evans learns that Cody’s one
confidante and only true ally is his mother. He also learns that Cody has been
fiercely attached to his mother since childhood, and that as a boy Cody even
went so far as to feign migraines in order to gain her attention, until the
headaches eventually became painfully real.
While Cody’s relationships with his wife and criminal associates are
based upon personal gain, his relationship with Ma is surprisingly tender, and in a
different context, could be viewed as heartwarming. Ma is a truly
self-sacrificing mother, living life on the run from the police and under the
constant threat of her son’s dangerous cohorts all in an effort to ensure that
her son makes it to the “top of the world”. Although he is a grown man, Ma continues
to nurture Cody through his migraines and mood swings, while also keeping watch
on his business and providing sound advice regarding how to manage it. Despite
her devotion to her son, however, Ma is just as dangerous and cunning as Cody
and in many ways acts as the ‘power behind the power’ in the Jarrett gang. As a
result, Ma’s death is the ultimate loss for Cody as he loses his confidante,
mentor, best friend, partner in crime, and mother all in one fell blow. The
severity of this loss is what finally pushes Cody to pursue his reckless quest
for revenge even though he is aware of how greatly the odds for success are
stacked against him.
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| A true Kodak moment |
The film’s performances are uniformly superb and
lend an element of gritty realism to an already intelligent script. Virginia
Mayo adds a touch of desperate frustration to her portrayal of Cody’s greedy
wife that makes Verna a truly complex character, who stands out in a genre
littered with stock love interests and flashy femme fatales. Similarly, Steve
Cochran and John Archer lend believable turns as Cody’s two greatest enemies,
Big Ed and Detective Evans, and provide the film with capable adversaries for
Cody to go up against. Edmund O’Brien’s is equally realistic as both undercover
cop Hank Fallon and Vic Pardo, the crook whose identity he assumes, which lends
credibility to his character’s ability to manipulate Cody into trusting him.
Even amongst all of the film’s excellent players, there is no doubt that the
film belongs to James Cagney and Margaret Wycherly as Cody and Ma. The two are
equal parts streetwise grit and familial tenderness ,and every one of their
scenes contains an eerie chemistry that lights up the screen. In Wycherly’s
hands Ma is a fascinating contradiction as she alternates between her maternal love
for Cody and her hard-as-nails approach to business. Cagney brings Cody to vibrant
life making Cody both one of the most entertaining gangsters in cinema and
also one of film’s most intriguing villains. From agony during a crippling migraine,
to brash arrogance around his wife and cohorts, to childish dependence upon Ma’s
guidance, and finally animalistic rage upon learning of Ma’s death, Cagney plays
a full gamut of emotions in his portrayal of Cody and does so with skill and
intensity. Although Cagney built his acting career upon the success of his many
gangster roles, it was with the force of nature that is Cody Jarrett in White Heat that Cagney reached the top
of his career and created his most unforgettable portrayal.
Cagney and company truly hit the mother-load of the
gangster genre in the incendiary White
Heat. The film combines underworld thrills, gritty dialogue, and a sly take
on psychoanalysis to create a unique vision of post-war America and modern
crime. The cast’s electric performances bring each of the film's characters to vital
and often violent life, creating a drama that viewers can’t help but be drawn
into. If you’re looking for the top of cinema, look no further than White Heat.
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| Don't look now, but someone's become a third wheel... |
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