Cagney stuck inside a 1930's Warner Bros. prison-- sounds explosive, but here it's George Raft that lights the fuse. Too bad, because the laid-back Raft lacks the fire that only Cagney could give to bustin' out of the Big House. Instead, the movie looks like one of those periodic attempts to put Cagney on the side of law and order. No doubt, the sight of all that fiery-eyed intensity leading a charge of desperate cons against the prison walls might give depression-era audiences some wrong ideas. So instead, he gets to play a righteous reporter framed for getting the goods on criminally-minded state officials, and the film loses its explosive potential.
Oh sure, there's a brutal climax just like most prison films of the time. And the unknown Edward Pawley (Dale) makes a pretty good ring- leader; at the same time, no one in production can bear killing off lovable ex-pug Maxie Rosenbloom. But the sight of Cagney making mealy-mouth while the others go up against the jail-house machine subverts the whole Cagney idea. In fact, the script doesn't make a lot of sense since the writers are fumbling around trying to tame a guy who shouldn't be tamed. Thus, Raft goes back to prison in unbelievable fashion so that Cagney can stay on the straight and narrow, while Raft ends up looking good enough for future leading-man roles. That may be good for the studio, but it's not so good for the movie. I put it down to the "Dillinger" factor. Make outlaws out of charismatic actors, and 1930's America gets more John Dillingers as a result. As long as they're making money, Warners may not have cared, but you can bet that bank presidents and the FBI did. Thus audiences then and now get 90 minutes of a compromised product, and a Cagney who's been neutered to a fault.
Oh sure, there's a brutal climax just like most prison films of the time. And the unknown Edward Pawley (Dale) makes a pretty good ring- leader; at the same time, no one in production can bear killing off lovable ex-pug Maxie Rosenbloom. But the sight of Cagney making mealy-mouth while the others go up against the jail-house machine subverts the whole Cagney idea. In fact, the script doesn't make a lot of sense since the writers are fumbling around trying to tame a guy who shouldn't be tamed. Thus, Raft goes back to prison in unbelievable fashion so that Cagney can stay on the straight and narrow, while Raft ends up looking good enough for future leading-man roles. That may be good for the studio, but it's not so good for the movie. I put it down to the "Dillinger" factor. Make outlaws out of charismatic actors, and 1930's America gets more John Dillingers as a result. As long as they're making money, Warners may not have cared, but you can bet that bank presidents and the FBI did. Thus audiences then and now get 90 minutes of a compromised product, and a Cagney who's been neutered to a fault.