Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

John Wexley (screenplay) and
Warren Duff (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 November 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

The saga of America's dirty faced kids... And the breaks that life won't give them!

Plot:

Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly were tough kids who grew up together in the toughest part of New York --- Hell's Kitchen...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Gunfire | Reform School | Rooftop | Catholic Priest

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

James Cagney	...	Rocky Sullivan
Pat O'Brien	...	Jerry Connolly
Humphrey Bogart	...	James Frazier
Ann Sheridan	...	Laury Ferguson
George Bancroft	...	Mac Keefer
Billy Halop	...	Soapy
Bobby Jordan	...	Swing
Leo Gorcey	...	Bim
Gabriel Dell	...	Pasty
Huntz Hall	...	Crab
Bernard Punsly	...	Hunky (as Bernard Punsley)
Joe Downing	...	Steve
Edward Pawley	...	Edwards
Adrian Morris	...	Blackie
Frankie Burke	...	Rocky - as a Boy

Also Known As:

Battle of City Hall (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1939) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | UK:A (1938) (cut) | UK:PG (1986) | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:G (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:(Banned) (1939-1950) | Finland:K-16 (1950) | USA:Approved (PCA #4496) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Sing Sing Penitentiary - 354 Hunter Street, Ossining, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The moment in which Rocky forces a trailing hood to take his place inside the phone booth in the pharmacy to get killed was inspired by the death of New York gangster Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll. In the real incident, Coll was locked in a gang war with "Dutch" Schultz. During the war, Coll hid in an apartment above a pharmacy and would only come out to go into the pharmacy and call his girlfriend from the phone booth. Dutch found out about this and when Coll went to make his routine phone call, two of Schultz's gun men walked in and shot Coll to death.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Rocky's head is not shaved in any way prior to his walk to the electric chair. This is a customary procedure for the placement of the head electrode.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry, As a Boy: Bulls eye!
William 'Rocky' Sullivan, as a boy: It's as dead as a door nail around here.
Jerry, As a Boy: Yeah.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A School Story (2009)

Soundtrack:

In My Merry Oldsmobile

WILL THE CIRCLE REMAIN UNBROKEN???

This film is included on my personal top 10 list. The old-time ethnic slums (?) of New York City in the 20's and 30's are a picaresque window to another time. One where gangsters were heroes (to some) and filled newspapers with their exploits. Tales of crime and riches are like candy to the gangs of kids living in poverty, while seeking their own escape to something better. They could only learn from experience, what Rocky Sullivan (Cagney) already knew, there is no honor among thieves. No honor, and no road back for Rocky. But, sometimes, for someone else, fate gets a push.

A very interesting, fast-paced story, I recommend this highly. The transition from Rocky's childhood to his adult years is especially well done and cast. In 'spirited' discussions with friends, we STILL don't agree on Rocky's thoughts and motivations at the end of the film. WAS HE GIVEN AN 'OUT' ? WAS HE HERO OR COWARD? WAS IT WHAT HE WANTED? WAS IT IMPOSED ON HIM? WAS IT CALCULATED OR DID IT POUR OUT UNCONTROLLABLY? Judge for yourself. After a few viewings, it's not as simple as it appears......