Editing Angels with Dirty Faces (section)

===Development===
[[File:Cagney angels final walk.jpg|thumb|Cagney in the famous final walk]]
[[Rowland Brown]] wrote the scenario for ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' in August, 1937. He was known in Hollywood for writing and directing a number of crime films in the early 1930s, including ''[[The Doorway to Hell]]''{{refn|group=N|Cagney had a supporting role in ''The Doorway to Hell''.<ref name=Cagsupporting>Cagney, chapter 3, p. 3.</ref>}} and ''[[Quick Millions (1931 film)|Quick Millions]]''. He presented the story to [[Mervyn LeRoy]], who was keen to direct a "[[Star vehicle|vehicle]]" starring the Dead End Kids, a group of young actors from New York.<ref name="RobertsonP47/48"/> Brown and LeRoy tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a fee for the scenario.<ref name="RobertsonP47/48"/>

Brown then began pitching the film to other studios, and eventually made a deal with [[Grand National Pictures]], who wanted James Cagney to star in the lead role.<ref name="RobertsonP47/48"/> By the end of 1935, it became apparent to Cagney and his business manager brother, [[William Cagney|William]], that [[Warner Brothers]] were only interested in paying him a "very small percentage of the income dollar derived" from his work. Therefore, Cagney had no choice and walked away until a better arrangement with Warner could be made. After filing a lawsuit to "rectify the inequalities," Cagney started working for [[Grand National Pictures]], a small studio compared to Warner.<ref name=CagneyLawsuit>Cagney, chapter 4, pp. 20–21.</ref>

At the time he was offered the role of Rocky Sullivan, Cagney had already made one film for Grand National, ''[[Great Guy]]'', but fearing he would be typecast in "tough guy" roles, as he had been at Warner, Cagney turned down the role and opted to star in ''[[Something to Sing About (1937 film)|Something to Sing About]]''. The film's budget grew to an astronomical $900 thousand, and, on its release, did not fare well at the box office.<ref name=Nei164>Neibaur, p. 164.</ref> Its underperformance is believed to have been a contributing factor in the 1939 bankruptcy of Grand National.<ref name=Fernett>Fernett, p. 41.</ref>

Following ''Something to Sing About'', Cagney returned to Warner after reaching a better deal with them. At his brother's insistence, he took Brown's story with him and presented it to the studio. Warner acquired the story and then asked a number of directors to take on the project. LeRoy was the first, and although he showed interest, he was unable to commit because he was making films for [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]; Warner then asked Brown, who showed no interest at all; and finally, Michael Curtiz, who accepted their offer.<ref name="RobertsonP47/48"/>