 Edward Woods (qv) was originally hired for the lead role of Tom  Powers and James Cagney (qv) was hired to play Matt Doyle, his  friend. However, once director William A. Wellman (qv) got to know  both of them and saw Cagney in rehearsals, he realized that Cagney  would be far more effective in the star role than Woods, so he  switched them.