I wasn't expecting much out of this film because I grew tired of all the cops-n-robbers flicks that Warner Brothers pumped out with stars such as James Cagney. In fact, I almost didn't watch it all. But I'm glad I did, because this film stands out over many other such WB films of the era.
Cagney plays a truck driver here, who also fools around with amateur boxing...and has a life-long girlfriend played by Ann Sheridan. Cagney also has a brother, a sort of musical prodigy, and Cagney turns to professional boxing in order to help his brother pay for music school. Meanwhile, however, Sheridan falls for a dancer -- Anthony Quinn -- who helps her professional aspirations to be a dancer on the stage. Sheridan and Cagney drift apart. During a title fight, an opponent makes Cagney go nearly blind by putting rosin on his gloves, which he then rubs into his eyes during the fight. After the prognosis of the blindness is permanent, Cagney operates a newspaper stand, while his brother becomes a successful composer. Of course, in the end, Sheridan and Cagney are reunited.
There are a number of nice touches which make this film enjoyable for many types of viewers. While it's about boxing, there isn't so much of it in the film that if you dislike boxing that you won't want to watch. It's a nice period piece in terms of the music and dancing of the era. Cagney, Sheridan, and Arthur Kennedy (as the brother) all have their own stories to tell. Years ago a Thai friend was visiting my home and one evening we watched some James Cagney movie, and when it was done my friend said, "Americans think James Cagney could act?" And, Cagney did have a bit of an unreal style of acting, which is more restrained here. I think he was maturing as an actor in this phase of his career, and it wasn't long after this that he starred in "Yankee Doodle Dandy".
So, this is a good starring vehicle for James Cagney. Ann Sheridan shines here as Peggy Nash, and it reminded me that she was very pleasing on the big screen, and is not remembered as well as she should be. I've never been impressed with Arthur Kennedy, but he's satisfactory here. Frank Craven as the "Old Timer" is interesting...he sort of narrates, much as he had done very recently in "Our Town". Anthony Quinn is not very pleasant as the dancer...but handsome...and of course, this was in his phase as a bad guy. Interestingly, Elia Kazan is here as a gangster-type. And venerable character actor Donald Crisp shines as a boxing promoter; what a versatile actor he was! Even Frank McHugh, whom I often find irritating, was pretty good here.
I enjoyed this film a lot, and I recommend it.
Cagney plays a truck driver here, who also fools around with amateur boxing...and has a life-long girlfriend played by Ann Sheridan. Cagney also has a brother, a sort of musical prodigy, and Cagney turns to professional boxing in order to help his brother pay for music school. Meanwhile, however, Sheridan falls for a dancer -- Anthony Quinn -- who helps her professional aspirations to be a dancer on the stage. Sheridan and Cagney drift apart. During a title fight, an opponent makes Cagney go nearly blind by putting rosin on his gloves, which he then rubs into his eyes during the fight. After the prognosis of the blindness is permanent, Cagney operates a newspaper stand, while his brother becomes a successful composer. Of course, in the end, Sheridan and Cagney are reunited.
There are a number of nice touches which make this film enjoyable for many types of viewers. While it's about boxing, there isn't so much of it in the film that if you dislike boxing that you won't want to watch. It's a nice period piece in terms of the music and dancing of the era. Cagney, Sheridan, and Arthur Kennedy (as the brother) all have their own stories to tell. Years ago a Thai friend was visiting my home and one evening we watched some James Cagney movie, and when it was done my friend said, "Americans think James Cagney could act?" And, Cagney did have a bit of an unreal style of acting, which is more restrained here. I think he was maturing as an actor in this phase of his career, and it wasn't long after this that he starred in "Yankee Doodle Dandy".
So, this is a good starring vehicle for James Cagney. Ann Sheridan shines here as Peggy Nash, and it reminded me that she was very pleasing on the big screen, and is not remembered as well as she should be. I've never been impressed with Arthur Kennedy, but he's satisfactory here. Frank Craven as the "Old Timer" is interesting...he sort of narrates, much as he had done very recently in "Our Town". Anthony Quinn is not very pleasant as the dancer...but handsome...and of course, this was in his phase as a bad guy. Interestingly, Elia Kazan is here as a gangster-type. And venerable character actor Donald Crisp shines as a boxing promoter; what a versatile actor he was! Even Frank McHugh, whom I often find irritating, was pretty good here.
I enjoyed this film a lot, and I recommend it.