The defence The Big-Idea Head
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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White Heat
Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1949
A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and then leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist. After the heist, events take a crazy turn.
Movie details
White Heat
“Pick up the pieces folks, Jimmy's in action again!”
1949 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 54m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.6 / 10
Community rating
A psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and then leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist. After the heist, events take a crazy turn.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over White Heat?
For the defence
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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The Parts You Lose
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Killer's Kiss
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Cassandra's Dream
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The tale of two brothers with serious financial woes. When a third party proposes they turn to crime, things go bad and the two become enemies.
The Asphalt Jungle
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Recently paroled from prison, legendary burglar "Doc" Riedenschneider, with funding from Alonzo Emmerich, a crooked lawyer, gathers a small group of veteran criminals together in the Midwest for a big jewel heist.
Riot in Cell Block 11
Crime · 1954
A prisoner leads his counterparts in a protest for better living conditions which turns violent and ugly.
The Outfit
Crime · 1973
A two-bit criminal takes on the Mafia to avenge his brother's death. Earl Macklin is a small time criminal who is released from prison after an unsuccessful bank robbery only to discover that a pair of gunmen killed his brother.
Cry of the City
Crime · 1948
Petty crook and cop-killer Martin Rome, in bad shape from wounds in the hospital prison ward, still refuses to help slimy lawyer Niles clear his client by confessing to another crime. Police Lt. Candella must check Niles' allegation; a friend of the Rome family, he walks a tightrope between sentiment and cynicism. When Martin fears Candella will implicate his girlfriend Teena, he'll do anything to protect her. How many others will he drag down to disaster with him?
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Raoul Walsh
Written by
Ivan Goff · Ben Roberts · Virginia Kellogg
James Cagney
Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
Virginia Mayo
Verna Jarrett
Edmond O'Brien
Vic Pardo
Margaret Wycherly
Ma Jarrett
Steve Cochran
'Big Ed' Somers
John Archer
Philip Evans
Wally Cassell
'Cotton' Valletti
Court is in session
Put White Heat on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.