10 Essential James Cagney Movies, Ranked

James Cagney is recognized as an icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age who was known for his deadpan humor, energetic style, and a showstopping triple threat. Born in New York City, Cagney started dancing at a young age and eventually made a name for himself performing on the Vaudeville circuit and the Broadway stage. After performing opposite Joan Blondell in the play Penny Arcade, actor, Al Jolson, sensed potential in Cagney and, after purchasing the rights to the play, he sold them to Warner Bros. Studio under the condition that Cagney and Blondell were cast in the film adaptation.

While under a brief contract with Warner Bros., Cagney earned his breakthrough role in the classic gangster film, The Public Enemy, proving himself to be a promising leading man as well as a major box-office draw. Throughout the actor’s extensive career, he starred in an array of films, such as Angels with Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and White Heat, which are just a few of Cagney’s most essential films.

10

‘Blonde Crazy’ (1931)

Directed by Roy Del Ruth

Cagney takes on the role of a hotel bellboy, Bert Harris, who teams up with a maid, Anne Roberts (Joan Blondell) to swindle married guests out of their money with an elaborate scheme. The two eventually skip town and continue working as partners in crime, but their partnership ends when Bert is too late with his proposal of marriage to Anne, who, despite her love for Bert, sets her sights on a respectable man and marries him. A few years later, Bert and Anne cross paths again, granting them both a second chance of love and a life together.

Blonde Crazy is a pre-Code romantic comedy crime film that features a line by Cagney, “That dirty, double-crossin’ rat!”, which has become a frequent phrase in pop culture and an iconic movie quote. Despite the premise being a bit outlandish and a half-attempt at conveying a moral lesson about crime, Cagney and Blondell are a lively and entertaining on-screen pair who are the saving grace of Blonde Crazy, capitalizing on their already-established chemistry and bond that allows audiences to overlook the minor flaws of the plot.

Blonde Crazy

Release Date

September 16, 1931

Runtime

79 minutes

Cast

• 

  James Cagney

  Albert ‘Bert’ Harris

• 

  Joan Blondell

  Anne Roberts

• 

  Louis Calhern

  ‘Dapper Dan’ Barker

• 

  Noel Francis

  Helen Wilson

9

‘Love Me or Leave Me’ (1955)

Directed by Charles Vidor

Cagney stars in the romantic musical drama, Love Me or Leave Me, as a small-time criminal, Martin Snyder, who meets a young nightclub performer, Ruth Etting (Doris Day), who he believes has true star potential. Under Martin’s management, Ruth eventually becomes a Broadway star and a popular headliner, but Martin’s obsessive and controlling behavior complicates Ruth’s newfound success and happiness.

Cagney and Day have a gutsy, sharp chemistry in Love Me or Leave Me, which was well-received by audiences and critics, who praised both of the stars’ performances. The movie depicts the glamorous and gritty landscape of the 1920s paired with a tumultuous romance filled with triumphs and disappointments that frequently come with a life of fame and success. Love Me or Leave Me earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Cagney, Best Song, and Best Screenplay, and ended up winning for Best Motion Picture Story.

Love Me or Leave Me

Release Date

May 26, 1955

Runtime

122 minutes

Cast

• 
• 

  James Cagney

  Martin Snyder

• 

  Cameron Mitchell

  Johnny Alderman

• 

  Robert Keith

  Bernard V. Loomis

8

‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ (1957)

Directed by Joseph Pevney

Cagney stars in the biographical film, Man of a Thousand Faces, which tells the story of the life and career of one of cinema’s first major stars, Lon Chaney. Chaney, who was the son of deaf and mute parents, started his career on the Vaudeville stage before moving to Hollywood, where he became one of the biggest stars of the silent film era and was immortalized as a staple of early American cinema.

Cagney gives a passionate and alluring performance as Chaney, conveying the actor’s unprecedented talent and artistic depth that gives justice to the silent film star. Not only does Cagney accurately capture Chaney’s dedication to his craft and career, but he also gives a stirring sense of the actor’s personal life, starting as a struggling young performer, the heartbreak of his divorce from his first wife, and his unwavering devotion to his family, which adds a sentimental element to Cagney’s exceptional performance.

Man of a Thousand Faces

Release Date

August 15, 1957

Runtime

122 minutes

Cast

• 

  Dorothy Malone

  Cleva Creighton Chaney

• 
• 

  Jane Greer

  Hazel Bennet Chaney

• 

Directed by Lloyd Bacon and Busby Berkeley

With the recent rise of motion pictures, Broadway musical director, Chester Kent (Cagney), manages to find work directing musical numbers for movies, essentially salvaging his career and bank account. When Chester earns a job working for a major chain-theater company, he’s eager to impress, knowing it could lead to future opportunities. With the help of his clever secretary (Joan Blondell), Chester orchestrates an idea that could put him on easy street for the rest of his life.

In an effort to expand his creative horizons, Cagney diligently campaigned for the lead role in the pre-Code musical, Footlight Parade, which was a dramatic change from his frequent gangster roles, and marked the actor’s first appearance on screen as a dancer. Footlight Parade changed the projection of Cagney’s career, successfully proving that he was just as popular and effective with audiences as a song and dance man as he was as a ruthless mobster, making it one of the star’s essential classic films.

Footlight Parade

Release Date

October 21, 1933

Runtime

104 minutes

6

‘The Strawberry Blonde’ (1941)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Cagney as a dentist, Biff Grimes, who, through a flashback, recalls his friendship with a now-successful politician, Hugo Barnstead (Jack Carson), who, at one point, were at odds over the same strawberry blonde, Virginia Bush (Rita Hayworth). While Biff tries his best to pursue the flirtatious Virginia, she pushes her less-glamorous friend, Amy Lind (Olivia de Havilland), onto Biff and runs off to marry Hugo. Initially, Amy and Biff want nothing to do with each other, but with time, they soon realize that they were simply made for each other.

The Strawberry Blonde is a lighthearted romantic musical set at the turn of the century and features an array of stellar performances by an all-star cast. Cagney delivers a humorous performance as the strutting, no-nonsense male protagonist whose misplaced stubbornness and naivety correlate perfectly with de Havilland’s well-to-do, outspoken character. While the overall cast is excellent, Cagney and de Havilland are the main source of the film’s attraction, each giving sensational performances as a more than convincing on-screen pair.

The Strawberry Blonde

Release Date

February 21, 1941

Runtime

97 minutes

Cast

• 
• 

  Olivia de Havilland

  Amy Lind

• 

  Rita Hayworth

  Virginia Brush

• 

5

‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ (1942)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Cagney stars in the classic biographical musical drama, Yankee Doodle Dandy, as George M. Cohan, who was a prominent figure in the Broadway scene and known as “The Man Who Owned Broadway.” Through a series of flashbacks, the film recalls Cohan’s life and career, highlighting his years of struggle as a performer and songwriter and leading up to his immense success with now-famous patriotic songs.

Cagney’s performance in Yankee Doodle Dandy showcases the actor’s astounding talent as one of the greatest triple threats of Hollywood’s Golden Age and is considered to be one of his most prolific roles of all time. The movie was both a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews from critics, who commended Cagney’s performance as a fitting tribute to Cohan’s life and work. Yankee Doodle Dandy earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Walter Huston, Best Director, and Best Picture, and went on to win three Oscars, notably Best Actor in a Leading Role for Cagney, marking the star’s one and only Oscar win.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Release Date

May 29, 1942

Runtime

126 minutes

Director

Michael Curtiz

Writers

Edmund Joseph, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein

4

‘The Public Enemy’ (1931)

Directed by William A. Wellman

Cagney stars in his breakthrough performance in The Public Enemy as the notorious Chicago gangster, Tom Powers, who, along with his friend, Matt Doyle (Eddie Woods), work their way up from small-time hoodlums and eventually become two of the city’s most profitable bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. Unfortunately, their success leads to unwanted attention from the local authorities as well as rival gangs, putting Tom in a difficult situation of choosing between his life of crime and his family.

Initially, Woods was cast in the lead role of Powers in The Public Enemy with Cagney playing Doyle, but director, William A. Wellman, felt Cagney was more suited to the role of Powers and switched the actors, unaware that Cagney’s performance would be the actor’s major break. The Public Enemy not only established Cagney as a promising leading man, but it also sparked a series of gangster roles that not only elevated the star’s career, it also provided the standard of the film genre, ultimately solidifying Cagney as an influential icon of the classic gangster.

The Public Enemy

Release Date

April 23, 1931

Runtime

84 Minutes

Director

William A. Wellman

Writers

Kubec Glasmon, John Bright

3

‘The Roaring Twenties’ (1939)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Cagney stars alongside fellow Warner Bros. star, Humphrey Bogart, in the gangster classic, The Roaring Twenties, as war buddies, Eddie and George, who, after serving in World War II, return home with high hopes for their futures. When Eddie and George can’t find jobs that will make ends meet, they become partners in the bootlegging business, but after the stock market crashes, the devastating event threatens to not only destroy their successful operation but also their friendship.

The Roaring Twenties marked the second film starring Cagney and Bogart and features sharply intense and compelling performances by both stars. Cagney gives a commanding performance that effectively holds audiences’ attention with his boundless energy and intimidating presence that deems The Roaring Twenties to be one of the actor’s most essential classics. Today, The Roaring Twenties reigns as a vital contribution to the classic gangster film genre, serving as a homage to the genre’s early films and an absolute must-see Cagney film.

The Roaring Twenties

Release Date

October 28, 1939

Runtime

104 minutes

Director

Raoul Walsh

Writers

Jerry Wald, Richard Macaulay

2

‘Angels with Dirty Faces’ (1938)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Rocky Sullivan (Cagney) and Jerry Connolly (Pat O’Brien) grew up in one of the toughest neighborhoods in New York City and while Rocky chose a life of crime, Jerry took a different path and became a priest. When Rocky is released from prison after serving three years for armed robbery, he returns to his neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen, where Jerry works to help at-risk youths. As Rocky plans to collect his share of the robbery from a mob lawyer, Jerry tries to keep the local kids from falling victim to Rocky’s influence.

Angels with Dirty Faces is a savage melodrama and another crucial Cagney classic which many consider to be one of the star’s finest films. While critics praised the overall cast and director, Michael Curtiz‘s flawless direction, Cagney inevitably steals the show with a powerhouse performance that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Angels with Dirty Faces serves as one of Cagney’s most iconic movies, infinitely demonstrating the star’s astounding on-screen magnetism and dazzling showmanship, earning its spot on this list of Cagney essentials.

Angels with Dirty Faces

Release Date

November 26, 1938

Runtime

97 Minutes

Cast

• 

  James Cagney

  Rocky Sullivan

• 

  Pat O’Brien

  Jerry Connolly

• 
• 

  Ann Sheridan

  Laury Ferguson

1

‘White Heat’ (1949)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Cagney stars as one of the best classic movie villains, Cody Jarrett, in Raoul Walsh‘s White Heat, which is without question the star’s most essential film. White Heat follows Cody and his gang of criminals who, after botching a train robbery, hide out in an effort to evade the police. When Cody is picked up by the local authorities, he pleads guilty to a lesser crime and receives a shorter prison sentence. While behind bars, Cody befriends a fellow inmate (Pat O’Brien) but, unbeknownst to Cody, his new friend is secretly an undercover officer.

Cagney gives a tour de force performance in one of the greatest gangster movies of all time, White Heat, delivering a curious but unsettling psychopath who continues to fascinate film fans today. White Heat is also recognized for Cagney’s final line, “Made it, ma! Top of the world!” which is easily one of the most famous quotes and scenes in movie history. Between the film’s timeless cinematic legacy and Cagney’s undisputedly riveting and profound performance, White Heat is hands down Cagney’s most essential film.

White Heat

Release Date

September 3, 1949

Runtime

114 Minutes

Director

Raoul Walsh

Writers

Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts, Virginia Kellogg

NEXT: The 10 Best Classic Movie Gangsters, Ranked