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Actors: James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about White Heat |
Cody Jarrett, leader of a gang of robbers, is an eccentric personality: he is a sadistic killer, has bouts of epilepsy, and has a relationship with his mother that is too close for comfort. To avoid a long jail sentence for his latest crime, he admits his guilt to a lesser crime in another state and is sent to jail. One of his cellmates is a police officer planted to gain Jarrett's trust. In the meantime, the gang is taken over by a rival who kills Jarrett's mother in rage, the news of which causes Jarrett to lose much of his grip on reality. The jailmates break out and are cornered at a chemical plant, enacting a powerful scene that has gone down in cinema history.
--Sara Embrey, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of White Heat |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Inner struggle or disability
Yes
Struggle with
- eccentricity
Crime & Scandal
Yes
Story of
- abuse in prison story
Brain/Body not working?
- mental illness
Escape/Rescue?
- escape/rescue from prison/confinement
Coping with loss of loved one?
Yes
Coping with loss of
- Momma
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- accused criminal
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- aggressive
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) long wavey
Body type
- (woman) ample bosom & buttocks
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southwest
Misc setting
- prison
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- explicit references to deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- concerned
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
Sara Embrey 
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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