The Doorway to Hell (1930)

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

Rowland Brown (story)
George Rosener (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 October 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Lou Ricarno is a smart guy. His plan is to organize the various gangs in Chicago so that the mugs will not liquidate each other...

Plot Keywords:

Telegram | Brother | Meeting | Gunfire | Radio Broadcasting

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Lew Ayres	...	Louie Ricarno
Charles Judels	...	Sam Marconi - Florist (scenes deleted)
Dorothy Mathews	...	Doris Ricarno
Leon Janney	...	Jackie Lamarr
Robert Elliott	...	Captain Pat O'Grady
James Cagney	...	Steve Mileaway
Kenneth Thomson	...	Captain of Academy
Jerry Mandy	...	Gimpy - a Gangster
Noel Madison	...	Rocco
Edwin Argus	...	The Midget
Eddie Kane	...	Dr. Morton
Tom Wilson	...	Big Shot Kelly - a Gangster
Dwight Frye	...	Monk - a Gangster

Also Known As:

A Handful of Clouds (UK)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

No information about the publication of Rowland Brown's story, "A Handful of Clouds," has been found; it may not have been published.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: What appears to be a typo in the gangland slaughter headline of the newspaper Louie reads in the boarding house - it reads 'grewsome' instead of 'gruesome' - is in fact an acceptable variant that was more popular at the time the film was released.

Quotes:

Title Card: [closing title] The "Doorway to Hell" is a one-way door. There is no retribution - no plea for further clemency. The little boy walked through it with his head up and a smile on his lips. They gave him a funeral - a swell funeral that stopped traffic - and then they forgot him before the roses had a chance to wilt.

Soundtrack:

Taps

Like a crystal Ball.

To see this movie on the Big Screen(like my Father,his uncles, and my Grandfathers did)would have been a treat. Well,not in my Dad's instance,because when my Dad saw the film on the Screen, it was shortly after Bogart's death and Cagney was already a long since established star.But still a treat nonetheless. Anyway for the Old oldtimers,they had to have the attitude:"This Cagney guy is gonna be around. Can't wait to see him again." Cagney always made his surroundings crackle with anticipation and uncertainty. You never really knew what was gonna happen. Doorway to Hell took risks. Real life gangsters dared Hollywood to make this movie because it hit close to home, for them. It's an interesting film to watch because of the miscasting. A thing William Wellman took note of during the filming of "Public Enemy", and had Cagney and the Lew Ayres clone "switch roles"...because "this Cagney guy has that gutter quality that this story needs to become effective". A must see movie.Especially for the buffs.