White Heat : A Classic Gangster Movie

White Heat, released in 1949, is a classic gangster film. It is one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made. The movie was directed by Raoul Walsh. The screenplay was written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts based on a story by Virginia Kellogg. It starred the legendary actor James Cagney.

James Cagney plays the role of Cody Jarrett who is a brutal criminal and very much attached and depended on his mother 'Ma' Jarrett (Margaret Wycherly). In spite of being married to Verna (Virginia Mayo), he doesn't trust her. The other characters are US Treasury Investigator Philip Evans (John Archer) and undercover agent Hank Fallon (Edmond O'Brien) who goes under the name Vic Pardo.

The movie starts with a train robbery scene which has gained quite an appreciation over the years. When police come across during it, Cody fires and injures Philip Evans. Then later to avoid getting caught and being imprisoned for these heavy charges, Cody surrenders and confesses to a smaller crime committed by an associate during the same time, which serves as his alibi to this bigger crime.

Officer Philip Evans, decides to play smart and places Hank Fallon as Cody's cell mate to gain his trust. Philips's main task is to find 'The Trader' , who is a bigger fish and launders Cody's money. Fallon assumes the name of Vic Pardo on this mission. Cody's gang member Big Ed turns out to be dishonest and ambitious and tries to murder Cody in prison by assigning the job to another inmate but Vic's timely intervention saves Cody and thus Vic gains Cody's trust. Cody starts to worry about himself and his mother and thus breaks out of the prison with Vic to deal with Big Ed and continue with his usual robberies.

The story goes ahead in such a way that one cannot help but get glued to the screen. The robberies, the character of trader, the end sequence at the chemical plant with Cody's famous quote, 'Made it, Ma! Top of the world!', just before he gets blown up are shown brilliantly.

The movie was received very well. It is in Time Magazines list of top 100 films of all times. It has a 100 % fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
The American Film Institute (AFI) too has honored it. AFI lists Cody Jarrett as the 26th greatest villain in its list of AFI's 100 years...100 Heroes and Villains. Its also ranks 4th in the AFI's 10 Top 10 list in top ten gangster films. Cody's famous quote, 'Made it, Ma! Top of the world!' ranks at 18th in the list of AFI's 100 years..100 Movie Quotes.

The Seventh Seal - Can You Cheat Death?

Released in 1957, The Seventh Seal (original title Det Sjunde Inseglet ), a Swedish film is worth a watch. Directed by Ingmar Bergman, a brilliant director, the film was based on a play written by himself for the acting students.

The film starts with two men returning to Sweden after fighting in the crusades. The  knight Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) and his squire Jöns (Gunnar Björnstrand) seem to be good and brave people. Antonius Block is a clever chess player and is very intelligent. One day while they are resting, Antonius as usual starts to play chess alone. It is there that he encounters Death. Death(Bengt Ekerot) is dressed in black cowl and has a monk like appearance. Antonius is unafraid of dying but he still has some unanswered questions about life and wants to seek their answers before he can die. He somehow thinks that if he can challenge Death into playing chess with him, he can delay his death. Death agrees and thus the great game starts.

Also in the film are many characters who somehow get connected to Antonius Block and Jöns as they continue their journey ahead. Death keeps appearing in middle to play its chance and then goes off.

Nomadic actors , Jof (Nils Poppe) and his wife Mia (Bibi Andersson), with their baby son, Mikael, and their actor-manager, Skat(Erik Strandmark), who perform from village to village join Antonius on his way. Skat during a particular show charms a black smith wife and manages to run away with her. The blacksmith joins the Antonius and actors only to find his wife returning to him and Skat tricking him and running away.

The fate of these people now is in the hands of Antonius now, as the visits of Death are increasing and at the same time Antonius knows he cannot defeat it. The movie continues further with the journey of these group of people as they go to Antonius' castle to be safe from the plague which is spreading and people are dying like insects. Antonius knows the plague sooner or later will take their life by coming in the form of Death.

In spite of Death cheating Antonius to give out his strategy , Antonius manages to stay in the game and later cheats once. Things like Antonius quests for finding the truth of life, the actor Jof's strange visions, a woman who is to be burnt as she is accused of being a witch, the Dance of Death at the end, etc enrich the film's story.

A completely awesome movie where language forms no barrier, is certainly a movie which I would recommend as a must watch for you all mortals who are reading this.

Nosferatu : A Symphony of Horror

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, a German film released in 1922 was an epic movie. It was directed by F.W. Murnau and it's screenplay was written by Henrik Galeen. It was roughly based on Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Nosferatu tells us the story of Count Orlok, the evil creature.
The protagonist Hutter lives with his wife Ellen in the fictitious German city of Wisborg. Hutter's employer, Knock sends him to to Transylvania to visit a new client named Count Orlok, who is interested in buying a property in Wisborg from Hutter's office.

Things go fine till then. Hutter soon leaves for Transylvania and then the real trouble starts. A small inn near Transylvania where Hutter stops for dinner is the turning point in the film where just by the mere mention of Orlok's name the locals get scared. But that does not discourage Hutter. Next day after finally overcoming the obstacles, Hutter reaches the castle of Count Orlok. He reaches there by night where Count Orlok himself welcomes him.

While having dinner at the place Hutter accidentally cuts his finger and Orlok looking at it, finds himself unable to resist.  Orlok even attempts to suck the blood but Hutter pushes him away. Orlok offers him a seat where Hutter sleeps. The next morning Hutter gets up alone and enjoys his time around the castle

That night while signing the necessary documents Orlok happens to see a picture of Ellen. He praises her with his words "has a lovely neck" which makes Hutter uneasy.

Along all this events there is this book, Book Of Vampyres which Hutter had found. He begins to read and slowly starts to suspect that Orlock is Nosferatu, the "Bird Of Death". At that night when Hutter looks outside the door, he sees Orlok at the hallway looming. Hutter unsuccessfully tries to close the door and hide but Orlok comes in.

At the very same moment Ellen who has been missing her husband and worrying about him gets a bad feeling. She cries, which Orlok hears inexplicably. He leaves Hutter and sets out a journey to Wisborg to get her. Thus Hutter runs behind him too to save her.

Now who will reach Wisborg first? Will Hutter be able to save his wife? What will be Orlok's end like? What is the strange plague that Orlok is spreading through the rats?
Find your answers in this great movie which in spite of being a silent film speaks highly when you watch it.