Edward G. or Mr. Cagney, which was the better gangster?

[cinemalover]

I love the old Warner Brother gangster flicks. I've purchased the first two volumes of Warner's Gangster Collection (12 films total, with a third set recently released). I find Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney mesmerizing as blood-thirsty criminals, but I can't decide which I think is better in these roles. For me, I tend to prefer whichever one I most recently watched.

Which do you prefer and why?

Which are your favorite films?

[ChiO]

What's next: Do I prefer my martinis with an olive or a twist? One brings joy, and the other brings joy.

My preference as an actor is Edward G. Robinson, but that preference is generally based on his non-gangster roles. He strikes me as having a greater emotional range; Cagney seems to be perpetually in overdrive. But when I run down their respective gangster credits, I find more favorites on the Cagney side of the ledger.

Cagney

WHITE HEAT
THE ROARING TWENTIES
ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES
THE PUBLIC ENEMY

Robinson

HOUSE OF STRANGERS
LITTLE CAESAR

No out-of-norm choices there.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's Cagney all the way for me, I love his energy.

I have to say, Edward G is also a very good actor. I loved him both in Key Largo and Double Indemnity.

[cinemalover]

CCF,
I think you've hit it with Key Largo. Edward G.'s performance as Johnny Rocco is a key gangster portrayal that can match up head to head against just about anyone.

[raftfan]

Both Cagney and Robinson were great early movie mobsters. Not counting Jimmy's roles as Cody Jarrett and Ralph Cotter, though, I think that Eddie G. was overall a much more ruthless screen gangster. He proved that by his snarling performances in "The Whole Town's Talking" (as Killer Manion), "The Last Gangster", "Key Largo", "Black Tuesday" and "Hell on Frisco Bay".

As for who was the better actor, I think Eddie was certainly much more versatile. Jimmy always had that Cagney style in virtually all of his films - from Tom Powers to George M. Cohan. But to watch Eddie play the loving Norwegian father in "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" and then a few years later become the vicious Johnny Rocco is an amazing character shift and a testament to his great talent.

[Dawtrina]

There's no way that I could pick one of these two over the other. What's more important is that I can't pick anyone else over them. They remain the two most magnetic actors I've ever seen and they were both perfect as gangsters.

I'd agree with ChiO both that Eddie G was the more versatile of the two and my favourite films of theirs tend to be the Cagney ones. I could also add though that I've seen some bad Cagney films (though he wasn't bad in them), while the worst Eddie G films I've seen are merely OK.

[myrnaloyisdope]

Cagney is the kind of guy you want to be like, just cool and charismatic.

Robinson is pretty much on par with Cagney, but I never find myself wanting to be like him.

That's the difference to me.

[Hollis]

Good evening all,

"Double Indemnity," "Brother Orchid, "Larceny, Inc," The Stranger" and "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" all serve to show (to me at least,) that Edward G Robinson was a far more versatile actor than Jimmy Cagney was. There's no denying that Cagney also had his lighter side as well. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "1,2,3" are, I think, good examples of his versatility. But all in all, I think that Mr Robinson was the more credible gangster. His performances were, I find, to be just a bit more believable and without going "over the top" to make them that way. I don't know that there's a definitive answer to this question. It's like asking which is the better flavor? Vanilla or chocolate? Last time I checked, they're still making them both. So I guess it's really just a question of personal preference. But it's fun to discuss isn't it?

As always,

Hollis