Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) ****

While I don't tend to be big on "message movies," and while the ending of Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) is a bit heavy on the moralizing, it is undoubtedly one of the best gangster pictures and said finale is still very effective. James Cagney is in top form and Pat O'Brien is appropriately stoic as the strait-laced priest. Ann Sheridan and Humphrey Bogart both get short shrift here, especially considering how much screen time The Dead End Kids are awarded, but I find the latter bunch very watchable and even charming at times. It's particularly enjoyable to watch Cagney's interplay with the group of young actors. "Whadda ya hear! Whadda ya say!" I say this is a true classic.

You can find my Michael Curtiz Feature Films Ranked list here.