Blonde Crazy (1931)

I just recently watched the 1931 James Cagney movie Blonde Crazy, and it was very fun! James Cagney, who had just burst into major stardom around the time this film was made, was terrific as Bert Harris, the bellboy/racketeer who is nuts over Joan Blondell. And as usual, he makes his rogue character lovable. James Cagney and Joan Blondell are always great as a pair (they made seven films together), especially in this movie. I absolutely loved it when they were together in Footlight Parade. In fact, overall, I love it when they are paired together; the chemistry between them is excellent.

This film would easily give one the impression of being a Pre-Code film , especially the scene where James Cagney is turned-on by the dancing ladies' butts and the scene where he barges in on Joan Blondell in the bathtub. I also love the scene where Cagney puts Blondell's bra over his eyes like a mask and then does a long, impressed whistle while getting the money out of the bra—very risquè! What really turned me on by Cagney in this film was his mannerisms and facial expressions, especially that voice (I can't describe the voice but it's a very happy, low-in-tone voice and Cagney uses it flirtatiously).
The first half of the film is very funny in comparison to the second half, which is very melodramatic and my least favorite part; however, I did like the end of the film, which I found sweet and cute. But I didn't really watch the shooting/car chase scene because it was too dramatic. I also felt sorry for the heartbroken James Cagney as he watched Joan Blondell getting married. I also found it interesting that Jimmy Cagney achieved hi dream of going to Europe one year later, but I didn't exactly like his opinion of it ("It stinks!"); however, his opinion was probably because of his resentment by Joan Blondell dumping him. (I'm guessing that if Joan Blondell joined him on his voyage to Europe, his opinion would've been less harsh.)

This is definitely a film from the Great Depression, and since it's from the early 1930s, the quality of the film is kinda grainy. (I kinda found that strange because, in comparison, The Public Enemy, which is from the same year as Blonde Crazy, has an excellent picture quality.) At first,there was some schemes I didn't understand, but after watching this film a couple times, I quickly got them (like the phony 20 dollar bill scheme). The movie isn't one of James Cagney's best or well-known films, and I wouldn't say that I very much enjoyed it (I enjoyed Footlight Parade and Taxi! more). This film was also a quickie in production and was a hit at the box office as well as with critics. I would recommend this film for James Cagney fans who enjoy seeing him in comedy/dramas. Again, you folks may comment with your own opinions about this film, but you don't have to.

Clips from Blonde Crazy (ignore the French subtitles):