Angels with Dirty Faces (Michael Curtiz, 1938)

6.5/10
Gangster film from the 30's featuring James Cagney is his first real star turn (he is quite good) and an underused Humphrey Bogart. It deals with a common trope in the gangster movie era, that of the two childhood friends whose lives go in completely opposite directions (Cagney of course becomes a crime world king while his pal becomes a priest). Caught in the middle are the Dead-End Gang, a group of kids increasingly turning away from wholesome endeavours like basketball at the rec centre to follow in the footsteps of gangster idols. Personally I found it lacked action and the good/evil struggle felt played out, but it made up points with its remarkable, unexpected ending that leaves you wondering about Cagney's character's true nature.