Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) coming from WAC!

[AllAboutMatt]

I remember watching this one a while back and not particularly enjoying it. But after reading all of the praise on this thread, I guess I should give it another shot.

[moviebuff75]

I got this for Christmas. I've never seen it. Love Cagney and WB.

[edmonddantes]

Loved the extras on this one, loved the PQ, liked the movie. the first hour of the movie I love, the final half an hour is good too, just not as good IMO. All in all a really excellent WAC edition of a good movie. Cagney was amazing, even in 2022 his acting seems alive, full of vital force, the way he handles those little delinquents is incredible. Im not a huge fan of pat obrien to be honest, but cagney carries most of the picture, when he's off the movie suffers.

could we discuss the ending?

[Show spoiler]is it cagney making the final sacrifice for his friend? or does he really turn "yellow"? because his fear seems a bit over the top given his character but Ive read that no matter how tough the killer is, when he sees the chair he goes white as a ghost and almost every one of them become hysterical. Id like to believe he made the sacrifice for his friend but I think the movie implies that God made him lose his nerve to help the priest. Which one is it?

[Doctor Jack]

Ordered this blind from last target B2g1. I really did not enjoy it. Bogart? Cagney, Curtiz? Should have been all over this but I kind of hated it. All started to go downhill with the basketball scene which felt like went on for 45 mins. Then it just got progressively worse. But that’s just me. Can’t like them all.

[RandomMovieFan]

for a second i thought this was that movie Kevin is watching from home alone

[profholt82]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Said no one ever.

I like the Curtis Mayfield soundtrack.

[edmonddantes]

Originally Posted by profholt82

I like the Curtis Mayfield soundtrack.

so did jamiroquai, and more importantly, myself

[Hammerlover]

Hoping for a restoration of THE AMAZING DR. CLITTERHOUSE, too!

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by edmonddantes

could we discuss the ending?

[Show spoiler]is it cagney making the final sacrifice for his friend?

Yes.

[edmonddantes]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Yes.

[Show spoiler]but obrien asks him a few moments before entering the chamber and he very firmly answers "no". From the directing and the camera work Im more leaning towards "divine intervention" thanks to the father praying, but Im not convinced either.

What you say probably makes more sense because the movie never presents us cagney's character as an all evil guy, but a flawed guy with redeeming qualities, like when he helps the father in the basketball sequence, that would go in the same vein with doing the yellow act, but why tell obrien he wasnt going to do it just a few seconds before?

[moviebuff75]

The ending is purposely vague. Make your own conclusions. Coward or hero?

[Hammerlover]

Originally Posted by moviebuff75

The ending is purposely vague. Make your own conclusions. Coward or hero?

Hero, for PRETENDING to be a coward. At least that's my take.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by edmonddantes

[Show spoiler]but obrien asks him a few moments before entering the chamber and he very firmly answers "no". From the directing and the camera work Im more leaning towards "divine intervention" thanks to the father praying, but Im not convinced either.

What you say probably makes more sense because the movie never presents us cagney's character as an all evil guy, but a flawed guy with redeeming qualities, like when he helps the father in the basketball sequence, that would go in the same vein with doing the yellow act, but why tell obrien he wasnt going to do it just a few seconds before?

[Show spoiler]He refuses the request to cower to O'Brien's face out of bravado. But then as he's heading to his doom has a change of heart and does what his old friend asked of him, if only to spare those delinquents from following in his footsteps. I never found it terribly ambiguous to be honest.

[Firefly2193]

It’s objectively ambiguous, even if you have a strong interpretation of your own. There’s nothing in there to prove he doesn’t just become genuinely scared. I myself do believe he was acting, not just a final favour to his old friend, but also as the right thing to do for the kids. It’s a fantastic ending, elevates the whole film.

Good to see this is getting a UK release too.

[dimlylitmonkey]

Tried to watch this (UK disc) on my Xbox Series X, but after the WB logo animation it displayed the background artwork of the menu screen (without the actual Play movie/Subtitles/Extras menu graphic) for about two seconds before going black and being stuck that way. Tried it on my PS3 and it played fine.

I haven't had this issue with the other WAC discs I own, so I'm not sure what's gone wrong (besides choosing the Xbox to be my main movie player).