Video Related to White Heat (1949)

George C. Scott on James Cagney. Includes clips from this film:

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

I just recently watched the 1939 James Cagney movie The Roaring Twenties (sorry it took me a while before writing it), and it was very dramatic. James Cagney was great as Eddie Bartlett, the former World War I veteran/cab driver who goes from being a big shot Prohibition-era bootlegging gangster to a poor, disheveled drunkard bum. (For those of you who are Simpsons fan, you gotta admit that the last name Bartlett is pretty sweet.)

Characters in The Roaring Twenties were based loosely on actual Prohibition-era personalities, such as nightclub hostess Texas Guinan ("Hello, sucker!" was her refrain to club patrons) and New York gangster Larry Fay, who was reportedly the model for the literary character Jay Gatsby.) Incorporating newsreel clips and popular music from the period, and a voiceover by an omniscient reporter who assures the audience that what theyare about to see is based on true events, The Roaring Twenties has something of a pseudo-documentary feel.

Humphrey Bogart was also terrific in this film; two years later, he would get his famous big break in his role as detective Sam Spade in the film The Maltese Falcon—which is another film that I had to watch in film class—and in his role as a gangster on the lam in High Sierra (the character's name in that movie escapes me at the moment). This was Cagney and Bogie's last film together; the other films they made together were Angels with Dirty Faces—which was made the year before—and The Oklahoma Kid.

Cagney found that the freedom to improvise that Walsh allowed him helped boost the script into an above-average genre film. Cagney recalled the collaborative atmosphere on the set, remembering how one actor, Frank McHugh (who was back as Cagney's faithful sidekick), suggested a different opening scenario than the one provided in the script. All agreed to trash the opening scene and go with McHugh's suggestion, thus providing the irreverent banter between Cagney and Bogart, who meet as doughboys in a World War I foxhole.

Cagney reminisced later about the little touches that he felt "added flavor to bland writing," including the addition of the hilarious exchange between his character and Priscilla Lane's, in which his advances are turned down in humiliating fashion. In another scene, Cagney spiced up a run-of-the-mill fight by positioning one opponent to accidentally hit another adversary after being punched by Cagney's character. The film also benefits from an able supporting cast -- notably Gladys George (who inherited the part from Ann Sheridan) as the Texas Guinan character, plus McHugh and Lane, as Cagney's romantic interest.

I didn't really watch the shooting scenes in this film because I thought they were too dramatic. And I didn't feel sorry for Cagney when Priscilla Lane dumped him and went for Jeffrey Lynn instead; he didn't deserve her. (And there is an awkward scene where Lane climbs into Cagney's cab years later and she tells him about her present life while he just grunts in reponse because he doesn't forgive her for dumping him years ago. What an awkward reunion!) And the ship scene, where Cagney and his gang are trying to bootleg liquor, in this film reminded me of a scene in a Simpsons episode (which is on a post on my Simpsons blogpost) where Homer, Bart, and a group led by Mr. Burns travel to an island holding sugar to smuggle it into Springfield after Marge declares a war against sugar products when the city is declared "America's Fattest Town!" by a world records book.

The film did extremely good at the box office and Cagney won a Best Actor award from the National Board of Review -- quite an accomplishment in a year that saw the premieres of such classics as Gone With the Wind, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, and Stagecoach.
The Roaring Twenties turned out to be a transitional film in Cagney's career; his subsequent roles during the 1940s would focus on his song-and-dance talents in such movies as Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). Walsh would work with Bogart again in They Drive By Night (1940) and High Sierra (1941), in which Bogart started to create the world-weary character that would be most identified with the Bogie legend. Ten years after The Roaring Twenties, Cagney would reunite with Walsh for White Heat (1949), in which he would revive the gangster character that put him on the map. (And as an end-of-the-year present for you folks, I'll probably do a review blog on that film. ) I would recommend this film for James Cagney fans who love to see the guy in gangster films. And again, folks, happy commenting!!!

(Next blog: Yankee Doodle Dandy [1942])
Clips from The Roaring Twenties:

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):

What Makes James Cagney So Great?

I'm taking a break between James Cagney film reviews to do what seems to be another James Cagney blog. Now I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, what makes James Francis Cagney, Jr. so great? Well, for one thing, it's his amazing ability to do a wide variety of roles; another thing is his amazing charisma and the fact that he could spark up the the screen with his personality and his lightning energy (does that make sense?) Orson Welles once said that "watching James Cagney acting was like watching a bunch of firecrackers going off." James Cagney probably could do every genre possible: drama, war, gangster, musical, crime, comedy, adventure, Western, biopic, epic, film noir, etc. And somehow his proficiency (did I spell that right?) as an actor ranged as far as Shakespeare, which he had no experience in, but conquered (not so well) in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). (And let me tell that that movie is the only thing do with Shakespeare that I would ever touch.) And it seems ironic that even though we know Jimmy Cagney as a tough guy, he won his only Oscar™ for his portrayal of song-and-dance man George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. So, tell me, folks; what do you think makes James Cagney so great. Please comment w/ your input. Thanx.

Picture Snatcher (1933)

I recently just watched the 1933 James Cagney movie, Picture Snatcher, and it was both fun and dramatic. James Cagney was great as Danny Kean, the jailbird turned tabloid reporter who falls in love with a college student. You enjoy every line he says. Of course, I thought the love story interfered with James Cagney, or maybe that's the jealousy talking because the actress was younger than me (she was younger than me when she made this movie). Ralph Bellamy was great as the hard-drinking newspaper editor. (Note: he was another good friend of James Cagney. I saw him in another newspaper-related [more famous] movie, His Girl Friday, with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell.)

The scene where James Cagney sneaks his camera into the electric chair ceremony at Sing-Sing where they were frying a murderess (did I spell that right?) was inspired by a real-life event; a reporter for the New York Daily News snuck his camera into a Sing-Sing frying ceremony the same way James Cagney does in this film—hiding it in his pant leg at the ankle—and probably caused a scandal with the picture (the person who was being friend in the electric chair during that event was also a murdress). I really loved the scene where James Cagney is so bored while hiding out in Ralph Bellamy's girlfriend's apartment while hiding out from the police because of the scandalous photography; it was like something out of my imagination story, only the character would be Bart Simpson! (In a scene preceding this scene, James Cagney gave the newspaper people his account of the frying event in his usual fast-talking way, which I found annoying.)

I also like the scene where James Cagney gives the college journalist students a tour of the newspaper office and makes fun of the nerdy journalist student; it was something I could relate to because I'm a college student. (But again, those hands ! They drive me crazy!) I also found it clever that when James Cagney tries to woo the female college student, he has the typist write messages asking the college student out on the typewriter and using the hot metal thingies as stamps. I also enjoyed the slugfest scenes but was distressed to find out that while filming the slugfest (which is later in the movie) between him and James Cagney, Ralph Bellamy sent the latter flying across the set, causing the poor guy to break a tooth. I also found it funny that James Cagney would hide in the ladies' bathroom from the firefighter whom he stole the picture that made him top dog of the newspaper from.

This film has so many Pre-Code scenes, including the one where Bellamy's girlfriend throws herself onto James Cagney and he tries to wrestle her off of himself. Talk about having a good time and bad intercourse! (They weren't really having intercourse! Sorry if the inappropriateness offends you folks!) I didn't really watch the shootout scene near the end of the film because it was too dramatic. This movie was filmed in 15 days and runs at a breakneck speed which keeps in tone with the story. Fortunately, this obscure James Cagney movie is on DVD, which is what they should be doing with the rest of his obscure movies! I recommend this movie for James Cagney fans who love watching him in comedy/drama movies. Once again, you guys can comment on this movies with your own opinions but you don't have to.

Lady Killer (1933)

I've been recently watching the 1933 James Cagney comedy Lady Killer recently, but not for the first time. It's a really funny movie; I can't believe only a few people know of its existence. Hollywood always seems to parody itself, and this film is one of the examples. James Cagney was terrific as Dan Quigley, a con-man who runs away to LA from a crime beat in NYC and quickly establishes himself as a movie star—after appearing as extras in a couple of movies.

What I really found extremely hilarious in this movie is the scene where James Cagney drags Mae Clarke—the same lady whose face he smashed a grapefruit into in The Public Enemy—across the room by the hair and kicks her out the door after he spots her in his apartment or hotel suite or something when coming home with a lady one night.

James Cagney seems to get himself set up in Hollywood really well; he writes his own fan mail (that's one to way to get started in Hollywood, if you're as dishonest and clever as Cagney) and falls in love with an actress plus gets married to her at the end of the movie. He meets her one day on the set of a Western—or more specifically, he meets her in her dressing room. (Of course, he's dressed up as an Indian when he meets her. And seeing Cagney in an Indian headdress is nothing spectacular.)

And for some reason, in the middle of the movie, Cagney gets a mustache. As it seems to me, he gives the impression of being different with a mustache, not to mention looks different and silly . He looks better without it. I mean, Cagney just isn't Cagney with that silly, curious little piece of facial hair on his upper lip. What's interesting is that he later wears the mustache in movies like He Was Her Man (1934), Ceiling Zero (1936), and Torrid Zone (1940), but only as an act of rebellion against Warner Bros. That's our Jimmy!

I didn't really watch the car chase near the end of the film because I thought it was a little dramatic. And there's a scene other than the hair-pulling-and-dragging that I find funny: it's the scene where Cagney is acting in scene for a movie with his love interest. He's dressed up as a ridiculous-looking Italian and eats pieces of garlic to simulate bad breath. And of course, his co-star is humorously overwhelmed by his breath—and then she pushes him into the nearby fountain, which is hilarious but he laughs about it, so we're laughing with him, not at him.

This film was a critical success at the time of its release. I would recommend this film for any James Cagney fan who likes to see the fellow in romantic comedies/ganster films. Again, opinions and/or comments about this film are encouraged!

The Public Enemy (1931)

Like I said in the last blog, I thought it would be good if I did film review blogs about James Cagney movies that I saw recently but not for the first time. So this time, I thought it would be good if I did a film review blog about the very first James Cagney movie I saw: The Public Enemy. Usually, whenever I watched the movie before I gained more experience about Cagney, it would be unusual for me to see Jimmy Cagney in the film because when I first saw the film, it was also actually the first time I saw Cagney in my entire life! Isn't that wild? But now that I've gained more expertise about Jim Cagney, it's not very unusual to see him in the film. Anyway, this is the film that shot Cagney to stardom and established him as a tough guy, even though he would star in a variety of roles and receive his only Oscar™ for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in the musical Yankee Doodle Dandy. It was the famous grapefruit scene that really made people think of him as a tough guy. And the immortal grapefruit scene is forever parodied in an episode of The Simpsons; it's the episode where Bart gets a Big Brother as revenge against Homer after he picks him up from soccer practice too late, and Homer gets a Little Brother as revenge against Bart. Anyway, in the scene parodying the grapefruit scene, Homer is daydreaming—or, whatever, thinking—about how mean Bart is to him, and in this reverie, Bart smashes a grapefruit into Homer's face. Then Homer says, "Mmm...grapefruit," while at the end of the original grapefuit scene, Mae Clarke—whom we see in two other James Cagney films, Lady Killer (1933) and Great Guy (1936 or '37)—cries or gets upset. There are many debates and differing sources about how the grapefruit scene came about. But I personally thought it was funny, just like the later abuse Jimmy gives to Clarke in Lady Killer—dragging her across the room while pulling her by her hair. And we must not forget that James Cagney was not originally cast as Tom Powers; in fact, he was cast as Matt Doyle, Tom Powers' sidekick (Edward Woods, who plays Matt Doyle was originally cast as Tom Powers). If Warner Brothers hadn't switched the actors in their roles, James Cagney wouldn't have been as well-known as he is today.

Jean Harlow was good as Cagney's second girlfriend, even though she didn't have a big role, and Joan Blondell was good as Woods' girlfriend and later wife. This was one of the many movies she would make with James Cagney.

Real machine guns were used in this film; James Cagney was barely missed in the scene where he and Woods run away from gunmen. And let me tell you guys, I had a dream last night about the scene between just James Cagney & Jean Harlow, but I wasn't even in the scene so don't get any ideas! And after the scene where Cagney gets measured for a custom-made suit, I don't even know what that gesture was that Cagney did, so I thought it was weird. Anyway, this film is a must for any James Cagney fan, especially since it was one of his important and best films.

A few clips from Public Enemy (I did not make these videos):

Simpsons episode that has parody of the grapefruit scene:
The Simpsons 414