The Doorway to Hell

The Doorway to Hell is a 1930 American pre-Code crime film directed by Archie Mayo and starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney in his second film role. The film was based on the story A Handful of Clouds, written by Rowland Brown. The film's title was typical of the sensationalistic titles of many Pre-Code films. It was marketed with the tagline "The picture Gangland defied Hollywood to make!" Plot Louie Lamarr, the “Napoleon of the Underworld” according to the Chicago newspapers, is a young gang leader who is so successful and ruthless that he becomes the underworld boss of the entire city. He organizes all the gangs in a classic protection racket: They pay him a cut, and he enforces territorial boundaries, makes good on losses, and when someone breaks the rules he punishes them with deadly force. The result is peace on the city streets and huge profits all around. Just about everyone is satisfied except for Rocco who wants the kingpin slot for himself, and Pat O’Grady an honest police chief who has known Louie since he was an orphaned street kid. Louie has a young brother, Jackie who goes to a fine military boarding school in a different city. Jackie remembers being destitute and hungry. He is proud of his successful brother but knows nothing of Louie’s business. Louie meets Doris and immediately falls in love. However, Doris is a gold-digger who is secretly in love with Louie’s best friend, Mileaway. Louie wants to get out of the rackets while the getting is good. With just one surprise last meeting to say good bye to his associates—and warn them not to try to find out where he is going Louie and Doris marry and head to Florida, stopping on the way to visit Jackie. They have dinner with the school, sitting at the head of the table with the Major. Louie observes that one of those boys might be as great as Napoleon, and that he has great hopes for Jackie. The Major replies that they are more interested in making them good citizens. When Louie says that war is a grand racket, a big business, the Major says that it is big, but it is “cruel and profitless,” which gives Louie pause.