the film that make james cagney a star and even after all these year and it easy to see why . jc command the screen a tom power and a troubled youth who along with partner matt doyle rise to near the top of the underworld during the prohibition era . tom and his brother mike be deeply love by their mother though the two be as different a night and day . mike stay home to help take care of ma and eventually enlists in the armed service a wwi be declare . tom and matt be the muscle for both paddy ryan and nail nathan and tom and clearly with no feeling for others and have no qualm about commit murder which and in a fit of blind vengeance and will lead to his downfall . this be a wonderful film to watch . the performance from most of the cast be terrific with special kudos to cagney and edward wood and leslie fenton . for me and what prevent this from be a four star movie be the dated overacting of others include donald cook a mike and beryl mercer a ma . still and it doesn not completely detract from the power of the film and the many memorable scene include the infamous grapefruit in the face moment and tom brutal and cold slaying of putty nose and the famous end which still pack a surreal wallop to this day . as good a cagney be in the movie and the direction by william a. wellman may be even well . wellman employ a prowling camera and keep his performer in constant motion which be a bit different then most of the static direction of the era . his camera doesn not show the violence make it power of suggestion all the more powerful . again and i go back to the finale and a cagney come crash to the ground and his shocked and stun brother lift himself up and in a zombie like state begin the walk to tell his mother about tom . it very powerful and memorable . a very vivid and unforgettable film that fall just short of be a four star movie due to some of the performance but it something that should not be miss by film fan anywhere .