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White Heat

Turkish title: Cehennem Alevi

“Pick up the pieces folks, Jimmy's in action again!”

1949 · 1 h 54 min
Directed by Raoul Walsh
ActionCrimeFilm-Noir

Cast

James Cagney Virginia Mayo Edmond O'Brien

Credits

Written by: Ivan Goff

Plot

Cody Jarrett, a psychotic gangster with a severe mother fixation, leads a gang in violent robberies. When he is caught, an undercover agent is placed in his cell to learn where the loot is hidden. As the police close in, Cody's reliance on his mother and his headaches lead him towards a fiery end at a chemical plant. Raoul Walsh's 1949 film, with a ferocious performance by James Cagney, includes the famous cry "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!"

Sinekatalog’s take

James Cagney's mother-obsessed gangster Cody Jarrett is volatile and unforgettable. Raoul Walsh's crime film moves fast, and its explosive 'Top of the world, Ma!' finale is iconic.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

Ratings

IMDb: 8.1 / 10 (39,063 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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