Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

John Wexley (screenplay) and
Warren Duff (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 November 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

Sensational Human Drama... Terrific Thrills And Suspense!

Plot:

Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly were tough kids who grew up together in the toughest part of New York --- Hell's Kitchen...

Plot Keywords:

New York City | Church | Hell's Kitchen New York | Catholic Priest | Irish American

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

James Cagney	...	Rocky Sullivan
Pat O'Brien	...	Jerry Connolly
Humphrey Bogart	...	James Frazier
Ann Sheridan	...	Laury Ferguson
George Bancroft	...	Mac Keefer
Billy Halop	...	Soapy
Bobby Jordan	...	Swing
Leo Gorcey	...	Bim
Gabriel Dell	...	Pasty
Huntz Hall	...	Crab
Bernard Punsly	...	Hunky (as Bernard Punsley)
Joe Downing	...	Steve
Edward Pawley	...	Edwards
Adrian Morris	...	Blackie
Frankie Burke	...	Rocky, As a Boy
William Tracy	...	Jerry, As a Boy (as William Tracey)
Marilyn Knowlden	...	Laury, As a Child
The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir	...	Choir (as St. Brendan's Church Choir)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harris Berger	...	Basketball captain (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Convict (uncredited)
Edwin Brian	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Sonny Bupp	...	Boy (uncredited)
Brian Burke	...	Convict (uncredited)
Gary Carthew	...	Church basketball team player (uncredited)
Lane Chandler	...	Guard (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.	...	Boy in poolroom (uncredited)
Bill Cohee	...	Church basketball team player (uncredited)
W.B.F. Crowell	...	Whimpering convict (uncredited)
Joe Cunningham	...	Managing editor (uncredited)
Steve Darrell	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Gangster (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	'Chronicle' editor (uncredited)
David Durand	...	Boy in poolroom (uncredited)
Earl Dwire	...	Priest (uncredited)
William Edmunds	...	Italian storekeeper (uncredited)
Jim Farley	...	Railroad Yard Watchman (uncredited)
Galan Galt	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Bud Geary	...	Death Row guard (uncredited)
Jack A. Goodrich	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Patrick McGee (uncredited)
Earl Gunn	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Sharpie (uncredited)
John Hamilton	...	Police captain (uncredited)
John Harron	...	Sharpie (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	Pharmacist (uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian	...	Convict (uncredited)
Ben Hendricks Jr.	...	Guard (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson	...	'Press' city editor (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Frank Kowalski	...	Boy (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	Soapy's mother (uncredited)
Al Lloyd	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Vince Lombardi	...	Boy (uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Police sergeant (uncredited)
Le Val Lund Jr.	...	Church basketball team player (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Charles Marsh	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John Marston	...	Well-dressed man (uncredited)
Bibby Mayer	...	Church basketball team player (uncredited)
Billy McClain	...	Janitor (uncredited)
Roger McGee	...	Boy (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Mrs. Maggione (uncredited)
Carlyle Moore Jr.	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Mori	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Detective (uncredited)
Spec O'Donnell	...	Inquisitive youth in poolroom (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Older boy (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	Railroad guard (uncredited)
Oscar O'Shea	...	Kennedy, guard (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Police Officer McMann (uncredited)
William Pawley	...	Bugs (uncredited)
Jack Perrin	...	Death Row guard (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Detective (uncredited)
Theodore Rand	...	Gunman #3 (uncredited)
Dick Rich	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Policeman on phone at El Toro Club (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jack C. Smith	...	Railroad guard (uncredited)
George Sorel	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
James Spottswood	...	'Record' editor (uncredited)
Chuck Stubbs	...	Red (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Ed, gunman (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan	...	Cop (uncredited)
A.W. Sweatt	...	Boy (uncredited)
Eddie Syracuse	...	Maggione boy (uncredited)
George Taylor	...	Convict (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Norton J. White (uncredited)
Norman Wallace	...	Church basketball team player (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Man in poolroom slugged by Fr. Connelly (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Man with baby (uncredited)
Poppy Wilde	...	Girl at gaming table (uncredited)
Lottie Williams	...	Onlooker at drugstore (uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson	...	Police Lt. Buckley (uncredited)
Claude Wisberg	...	Hanger-on in poolroom (uncredited)
Dan Wolheim	...	Convict (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Warden (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Curtiz

Writing credits
John Wexley		(screenplay) and
Warren Duff		(screenplay)
Rowland Brown		(story)
Ben Hecht		uncredited and
Charles MacArthur		uncredited

Produced by
Samuel Bischoff	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Sol Polito		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Owen Marks

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sherry Shourds	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Everett A. Brown	....	sound (as E.A. Brown)

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestral arranger

Other crew
Jo Graham	....	dialogue director
Father J.J. Devlin	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• First National Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1938) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS) (colorized)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Battle of City Hall (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1939) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | UK:A (1938) (cut) | UK:PG (1986) | Argentina:16 | Australia:G (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:(Banned) (1939-1950) | Finland:K-16 (1950) | USA:Approved (PCA #4496) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Sing Sing Penitentiary - 354 Hunter Street, Ossining, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The Dead End Kids terrorized the set during shooting. They threw other actors off with their ad-libbing, and once cornered costar Humphrey Bogart and stole his trousers. But they didn't figure on James Cagney's street-bred toughness. The first time Leo Gorcey pulled an ad-lib on Cagney, the star stiff-armed the young actor right above the nose. From then on, the gang behaved.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Towards the end of the film, during the scene where Rocky is shooting it out with the police in the warehouse, watch the "concrete" pillar Rocky has taken cover behind. Seconds before a bullet impact appears on the pillar, a close up reveals a slight round indentation surrounded by a lighter coloring of paint, exactly where the bullet squib, which has been embedded in the pillar, explodes moments later. An immediate cut to Rocky's reaction has him bumping the pillar with his hands, at which point the entire "concrete" pillar wobbles slightly.

Quotes:

William 'Rocky' Sullivan, as a boy: Always remember: Don't be a sucker.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Crossing Criminal Cultures (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Angels with Dirty Faces

WILL THE CIRCLE REMAIN UNBROKEN???

This film is included on my personal top 10 list. The old-time ethnic slums (?) of New York City in the 20's and 30's are a picaresque window to another time. One where gangsters were heroes (to some) and filled newspapers with their exploits. Tales of crime and riches are like candy to the gangs of kids living in poverty, while seeking their own escape to something better. They could only learn from experience, what Rocky Sullivan (Cagney) already knew, there is no honor among thieves. No honor, and no road back for Rocky. But, sometimes, for someone else, fate gets a push.

A very interesting, fast-paced story, I recommend this highly. The transition from Rocky's childhood to his adult years is especially well done and cast. In 'spirited' discussions with friends, we STILL don't agree on Rocky's thoughts and motivations at the end of the film. WAS HE GIVEN AN 'OUT' ? WAS HE HERO OR COWARD? WAS IT WHAT HE WANTED? WAS IT IMPOSED ON HIM? WAS IT CALCULATED OR DID IT POUR OUT UNCONTROLLABLY? Judge for yourself. After a few viewings, it's not as simple as it appears......