Who was the best gangster: Boggy, Edward G., or Cagney?

[FATCAT]

I was watching White Heat the other day over at my buddy's house and Cagney's performance as Cody Jarrett was excellent! Gotta love the scene when after they break out of prision and bring along the guy who almost killed Cody while in the big house ... is in the trunk of the getaway car and says "It's stuffy in here, I need some air". So Jarrett says "Oh, stuffy huh? I'll give it a little air," and shoots the trunk full of holes ... great scene.

As was "Top of the world Ma!!!"

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But Edward G. as Johnny Rocco in Key Largo was excellent. In the scene where Boggy ID's Rocco and give a brief history of him, one of Rocco's men says "Boss ... were you that big?". The Rocco goes into one of the best solo speeches in film history.



And they didn't need all those special effects to make a great movie, not like the crap you see now.



What other lines youz guys remember?

 

[DGFoster]

Cagney all the way,he ruled the screen

 

[The patriot]

What DGFoster said.

There's only one Cagney.

"Angels with dirty faces" was my favorite.

Eric

 

[loncray]

Edward G. had that great voice, sheee? But Cagney was the best.

 

[Boomer II]

Dang, lon and I agree on something, Cagney!!!

 

[loncray]

How 'bout modern movie gangsters? Joe Pesci in Goodfellas is the single most menacing character I can think of in any movie.

 

[FATCAT]

Ya gotta look at people like Pesci, DiNero, Pachino, etc... who are part of the "new" hollywood as 2nd Tier actors compared to Cagney, Boggy, and Edward G. ... a distant 2nd Tier. All of todays movies are based on special effects and the acting/story comes 2nd. Look at a movie like Little Cesar, or the Maltiese Falcan, or The Big Sleep. About the only special effect was a SW . 38 or a Tommy gun. The story being told was GREAT! You had to follow the story line, especially in The Big Sleep with all its twists and turns.



And not only that ... how about them terms they used. Like Cop'er, caper, "right on the button", "Dirty rotten squeeler", and Hoods. There were no sware words in the movies of old. Now I can't stand to watch any of the new ones when the "F" bomb and "S" bomb is dropped every 10 seconds. And another thing ... all the gangsters and Cop'ers dressed good. How many crooks you see on the screen are wareing a suit with an overcoat, a wide tie, and a Fadora. Now those guys had class.



And look at the actresses. There is absolutly no-one today that even comes close to a Bacall, Audry Hepburn, etc... from back in the day.

 

[RT66DOC]

Dang, lon and I agree on something, Cagney!!!

Yeah, same here. What's the world coming to? Just stick to movies and babes and we've got no problem with lon.

 

[DGFoster]

Modern days I would say Denero and Joe pesci for sure. .

Goodfellas and Casino was pretty good,another good one is Armon Asanti who played in Hoffa,he is pretty good,not sure if I spelled his name right.....

 

[evldsl]

I was watching White Heat the other day over at my buddy's house and Cagney's performance as Cody Jarrett was excellent! Gotta love the scene when after they break out of prision and bring along the guy who almost killed Cody while in the big house ... is in the trunk of the getaway car and says "It's stuffy in here, I need some air". So Jarrett says "Oh, stuffy huh? I'll give it a little air," and shoots the trunk full of holes ... great scene.

As was "Top of the world Ma!!!"

#ad




But Edward G. as Johnny Rocco in Key Largo was excellent. In the scene where Boggy ID's Rocco and give a brief history of him, one of Rocco's men says "Boss ... were you that big?". The Rocco goes into one of the best solo speeches in film history.



And they didn't need all those special effects to make a great movie, not like the crap you see now.



What other lines youz guys remember?

CAGNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!