Angels with Dirty Faces (1938): Cagney’s Defining Gangster Role

"Angels with Dirty Faces" is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz. It stars James Cagney as the notorious gangster Rocky Sullivan, alongside Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, and Ann Sheridan. The film explores the relationship between Rocky and his childhood friend, Father Jerry Connolly, as they navigate the challenges of crime and morality in their neighborhood. The film is notable for its themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the impact of crime on youth, and it has influenced many subsequent films in the gangster genre.

Angels with Dirty Faces was released on November 28, 1938, to positive reviews. At the 11th Academy Awards, the film was nominated in three categories: Best Actor (Cagney), Best Director (Curtiz), and Best Story (Brown). Angels with Dirty Faces is considered by some to be one of the best films of all time and is widely regarded as a defining moment in Cagney's career. It was shortlisted by the American Film Institute in 2008 and was voted 67th in a list of the "100 Best Film Noirs of All Time" by Slant Magazine in 2015.