The Doorway to Hell
Directed by Archie Mayo
Written by George Rosener from a story by Rowland Brown
1930/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Title Card: [closing title] The “Doorway to Hell” is a one-way door. There is no retribution – no plea for further clemency. The little boy walked through it with his head up and a smile on his lips. They gave him a funeral – a swell funeral that stopped traffic – and then they forgot him before the roses had a chance to wilt.[/box]
Second banana James Cagney steals this movie out from under the feet of preppy gangland boss Lew Ayers.
Louie (Ayers) is bootlegging beer in the big city. He envisions himself as a Napoleon of crime and has the clout to order other mobsters to “organize” under his control. After this scheme works peacefully for several months, Louis is ready to get out of the game and marry the fickle Doris, who would really rather play around with his right-hand man Mileaway (Cagney). Louie leaves Mileaway in charge while he takes Doris on a honeymoon to Florida where he has a touching reunion with his beloved kid brother.
All hell breaks loose without Louis on his throne. He resists repeated calls to return but the gangsters figure out a way to get to him through his brother. Vengeance and fate draw Louie back into a bloody gang war.
One of the most interesting things about watching these pre-Code movies is seeing future stars developing their personae. Cagney’s is fully formed in only his second film – his first as a mobster. The story is notable mostly for the fact that Ayers is totally miscast. He’s just too inherently nice to keep company with a bundle of mean street-wise energy like Cagney. And I like Ayers in most things. Otherwise routine gangster fare burdened by early talkie technique.
Any one looking for “a love story beyond compare” need not apply! – LOL – note Dwight Frye toward the end
Clip – Cagney’s star quality is present from the beginning
