James Cagney (as Danny) is a New York City truck driver who takes up boxing in order to finance his brother Arthur Kennedy (as Eddie)'s musical career. Ann Sheridan (as Peggy) is Danny's childhood girlfriend - she gives up their romance for a dancing career, and ends up weeping profusely for it.
The film begins as the "City for Conquest" characters are children, living in New York city's lower East Side. Each child mirrors his/her adult development; for example, "Danny" fights, "Peggy" dances, and "Eddie" squeezes his music box. These opening scenes are well-done, and effectively introduce the characters. However, the switch from children to adult actors fails because the "Danny" boy is so unlike actor James Cagney - it's very startling when Cagney appears. The other children are very well-cast; the boy playing Elia Kazan's "Googi" character looks especially like the adult "Googi". The boy playing Mr. Cagney looks so different, you have to wonder if another actor might have been planned to star in this film.
Additionally, the children are depicted as being about the same age, but the adult Cagney appears much older when they are adults; he goes from being about Ms. Sheridan's age to looking like her father! He looks too out-of-shape for the role, also, of the "Young Samson". Frank Craven appears as "Old Timer"; he seems to have great knowledge, but his role is confusing. Anthony Quinn is Ms. Sheridan's greasy dancing partner (and abductor?) Murray Burns. For some reason, Mr. Quinn spent way too long in the make-up chair - his eye make-up is the film's heaviest. Yet, the cast is worth watching. James Cagney is, after all, still Cagney. Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Kazan perform their parts very well. The structurally flawed story does move - and, Sheridan's profuse weeping could squeeze one out of you.
***** City for Conquest (9/21/40) Anatole Litvak ~ James Cagney, Ann Sheridan, Arthur Kennedy, Anthony Quinn
The film begins as the "City for Conquest" characters are children, living in New York city's lower East Side. Each child mirrors his/her adult development; for example, "Danny" fights, "Peggy" dances, and "Eddie" squeezes his music box. These opening scenes are well-done, and effectively introduce the characters. However, the switch from children to adult actors fails because the "Danny" boy is so unlike actor James Cagney - it's very startling when Cagney appears. The other children are very well-cast; the boy playing Elia Kazan's "Googi" character looks especially like the adult "Googi". The boy playing Mr. Cagney looks so different, you have to wonder if another actor might have been planned to star in this film.
Additionally, the children are depicted as being about the same age, but the adult Cagney appears much older when they are adults; he goes from being about Ms. Sheridan's age to looking like her father! He looks too out-of-shape for the role, also, of the "Young Samson". Frank Craven appears as "Old Timer"; he seems to have great knowledge, but his role is confusing. Anthony Quinn is Ms. Sheridan's greasy dancing partner (and abductor?) Murray Burns. For some reason, Mr. Quinn spent way too long in the make-up chair - his eye make-up is the film's heaviest. Yet, the cast is worth watching. James Cagney is, after all, still Cagney. Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Kazan perform their parts very well. The structurally flawed story does move - and, Sheridan's profuse weeping could squeeze one out of you.
***** City for Conquest (9/21/40) Anatole Litvak ~ James Cagney, Ann Sheridan, Arthur Kennedy, Anthony Quinn