The Roaring Twenties (1939)

July 26, 2011

64. The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Starring James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart, Gladys George, Jeffrey Lynn, Frank McHugh, Paul Kelly

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Plot: "Three men attempt to make a living in Prohibitionist America after returning home from fighting together in World War I." (from IMDb)

I thought the acting and story were great in this. Everything, really, just made for a topnotch and very engaging production. I can't say that gangster flicks are really my thing, but I enjoy watching Bogart and Cagney. Besides them, I thought Gladys George was exceptional; she was a very expressive actor who was able to convey a great deal of feeling without saying too much. As Panama Smith, she was perfect for the part and rather underrated in general, I think. I also liked the newsreel format of the film. It is a good way to weave the different years together and illustrate the time period. I'm not usually one for sad endings, but this one just works; it’s hard to imagine any other way to conclude it.

I can't really say that this is a film that I'll watch a lot, because it is kind of depressing, but there is no doubt that it is Warner Brothers at its best—and definitely worth a viewing.

I really love the intro credits—the font and how it shimmers a bit against the skyscape.

Cagney plays Eddie, a basically good guy who is driven to crime by some bad breaks.

I never noticed before how Cagney does that thing with his lip. He does it quite a few times in this.

“I do alright, any time, any place.”

Quintessential baddie Bogart, before he hit it big with stardom. I have to say he does make a great bad guy, and adds a lot to the movie.

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Happy Independence Day!

Ava Gardner [source]

Claudette Colbert [source]

Susan Hayward and Virginia Dale, 1940. [source]

Debbie Reynolds, 1952. [source]

Anne Francis, 1955. [source]

Piper Laurie, 1950s. [source]

Vera-Ellen, 1950. [source]

Ann Miller, 1940s. [source]

Publicity still for the 1942 movie Yankee Doodle Dandy with Jeanne Cagney, James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Rosemary DeCamp. [source]

Joan Crawford. [source]

Gloria Shea, 1932. [source]

…and God Bless America!

Short Review: The Strawberry Blonde (1941)

Jan. 20, 2011

18. The Strawberry Blonde (1941)

Starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth, Alan Hale, Jack Carson, George Tobias

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Plot: “Biff Grimes is crazy about Virginia Brush, but his ‘pal’ Hugo Barnstead marries her himself and makes Biff the fall guy for his shady dealings. Though Hugo seems to have everything Biff wanted, Biff learns that having what one wants and wanting what one has can be two very different things.” (from IMDb)

Though the story is very simple (and rather silly), charismatic performers and a charming turn-of-the-century setting carry this film. Cagney gives a characteristically energetic performance, de Havilland is her usual adorable and talented self, Hayworth shines in one of her few comedic roles, and Carson does a great job of playing the double-crossing friend. I couldn’t help it—by the time the credits rolled and I heard the last chorus of “The Band Played On” I had a big goofy grin on my face.