The Doorway to Hell (A Handful of Clouds) (1930)
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41% of users liked it
(130 ratings)
In this early talkie, a vicious crime lord (played by Lew Ayres in a rare villainous role) decides that he has had enough and much to the shock of his colleagues decides to give the business to his second in command (James Cagney in hi second film role) and retire to Florida after marrying his moll.… More In this early talkie, a vicious crime lord (played by Lew Ayres in a rare villainous role) decides that he has had enough and much to the shock of his colleagues decides to give the business to his second in command (James Cagney in hi second film role) and retire to Florida after marrying his moll. Unfortunately, he has no idea that she and Cagney are lovers. Part of the reason the don wants to leave is to keep his young brother, who idolizes him, from learning the awful truth about his avocation. Soon after moving down to Florida, former rivals kidnap the brother and kill him, causing the reformed gangster to come back for deadly revenge. This was an innovative film and featured a lot of elements that would become standards in the gangster genre including tommy guns carried in violin cases, terrible shoot-outs, and lots of rum-running rivalry. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Archie Mayo
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Oct 18, 1930 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
A historical relic flawed by miscasting but almost redeemed by an unjustly misunderstood ending.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An early talkie from Warner Brothers.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Lew Ayres
as Louis Ricarno
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Charles Judels
as Florist
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Dorothy Mathews
as Doris
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Leon Janney
as Jackie Lamar
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Robert Elliott
as Capt. O'Grady
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James Cagney
as Steve Mileway
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Jerry Mandy
as Gangster
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Noel Madison
as Rocco
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Edwin Argus
as Midget
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Fred Argus
as Machine gunner
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Dwight Frye
as Gangster
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Bernard "Bunny" Granville
as Bit
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Ruth Hall
as Girl
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Al Hill
as Gangster
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Eddie Kane
as Dr. Morton
- Dick Purcell
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Ken Thomson
as Captain of Military Academy
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Tom Wilson
as Gangster
- Thomas E. Jackson
