'' Angels with Dirty Faces '' was released on November 28 , 1938 , to positive reviews . At the 11th Academy Awards , the film was nominated in three categories : Best Actor ( Cagney ) , Best Director ( Curtiz ) , and Best Story ( Brown ) . '' Angels with Dirty Faces '' is considered to be one of the best movies of all time , and is widely regarded as a defining moment in Cagney 's career . It was shortlisted by the American Film Institute in 2008 , and was voted 67th in a list of the " 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time " by '' Slant Magazine '' in 2015
11th Academy Awards
11th Academy Awards
Angels with Dirty Faces