PB Angels With Dirty Faces

1938 Warner Brothers

Angels with Dirty Faces is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers. It stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and George Bancroft. The screenplay was written by John Wexley and Warren Duff based on the story by Rowland Brown. The film chronicles the relationship of the notorious gangster William "Rocky" Sullivan with his childhood friend and now-priest Father Jerry Connolly. After spending three years in prison for armed robbery, Rocky intends to collect $100,000 from his co-conspirator Jim Frazier, a mob lawyer. All the while, Father Connolly tries to prevent a group of youths from falling under Rocky's influence.

PLOT:

In 1920, two Irish-American youths, Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly, attempt to rob a railroad car carrying fountain pens. Jerry escapes from the police, while Rocky is caught and sentenced to reform school.

Fifteen years later, an older Rocky is arrested for armed robbery. His lawyer and co-conspirator, Jim Frazier, asks him to take the blame for the robbery. In exchange, Frazier will keep Rocky's $100,000 share of the robbery safe until the day Rocky is released. Rocky agrees and is sentenced to three years in prison.

After serving his sentence, Rocky returns to his old neighborhood and visits Jerry, who is now a Catholic priest. He rents a room in a boarding house run by Laury Martin, a girl he bullied as a youth. He then pays a visit to Frazier's casino. Frazier claims to have been unaware of Rocky's release, but he promises to have the $100,000 ready by the end of the week, and he gives Rocky $500 spending money.

After leaving, Rocky is pickpocketed by a gang of young toughs: Soapy, Swing, Bim, Pasty, Crab, and Hunky. After he tracks them down to his old childhood hideout, the tough kids admit they admire Rocky's reputation and criminal lifestyle. After retrieving his wallet and money, Rocky invites them to dinner. While they are eating, Jerry arrives and asks the gang why they have not been playing basketball.

With Rocky's help, Jerry convinces them to play another team. At the match, the kids are very disorganized and fighting with the other team. Rocky takes the boys to task, and they start to follow the rules. As Jerry and Laury watch, Laury expresses her concern over the potential negative influence Rocky may be having on the gang.

Later, Frazier's hit squad makes an attempt on Rocky's life. Rocky easily spots his tail and outwits the mobsters' attempted hit. In retaliation, he kidnaps Frazier, raiding his house at gunpoint and stealing $2,000 and a ledger. Rocky then approaches Frazier's business partner, Mac Keefer, and requests $100,000 in trade for Frazier's release. Mac pays, but as Rocky leaves, he informs on him to the police. Rocky is arrested and begins mocking the police for their lack of evidence. Frazier informs Mac that Rocky is in possession of the ledger. This forces Frazier to tell the police it was all a "misunderstanding", and Rocky is released. Jerry learns of the kidnapping and decides to go to the press to expose corruption in New York.

On the radio, Jerry denounces the corruption, as well as Rocky, Frazier, and Keefer. Frazier and Keefer assure Rocky that no harm will come to Jerry, but he discovers that they plan to kill both him and Jerry. To protect his friend, Rocky kills Frazier and Keefer instead and makes his way to an abandoned warehouse, where he kills a police officer and a standoff ensues.

Jerry arrives and convinces the police that he can reason with Rocky and get him to surrender. Upon entering the warehouse, Jerry sees a trapped Rocky and implores him to surrender, but Rocky takes Jerry hostage. While trying to escape, Rocky is shot in the leg and captured. After standing trial, he is sentenced to death.

Jerry visits Rocky just before his execution. He sees the negative impact Rocky could have on the Dead End Kids and asks him to beg for mercy on his way to the death house, saying it would ruin the gang's romantic image of the gangster lifestyle. Rocky refuses, telling Jerry that his reputation is all that he has left.

As they enter the execution room, Rocky shakes Jerry's hand and wishes him well before walking to the electric chair. Suddenly, Rocky breaks down, begging and screaming for mercy, and seemingly dies a coward's death. Later, Soapy and the gang read newspaper reports of how Rocky "turned yellow" in the face of his execution. The gang no longer knows what to think about Rocky or the criminal lifestyle. Jerry asks them to join him in a prayer for "a boy who couldn't run as fast as I could".