Discuss James Cagney
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The one Cagney performance I didn't enjoy...
posted by rudely_murraySTAFFMOD on July 9, 2017 at 10:18 PM
... discounting (obviously) the too many I have not seen, is his Oscar winner, Yankee Doodle Dandy. His George M. Cohan simply wears me out - while I admire Cagney's commitment to the role and his seemingly boundless energy - he was always among the most physical of stars, but here he does not slow down for a moment - there is only so much flag-waving and Americana I can stomach. And, frankly, Cohan's songs for the most part give me hives.
I am a huge Cagney fan but one viewing of this one was enough!
Reply by genplant29
on July 10, 2017 at 3:51 PM
I agree with you. This movie, while definitely an excellent Cagney showcase of his song and dance and rat-a-tat-tat verbal talents, has throughout the years proven tedious to also me. I've watched it times in decades past and doubt I'll ever want to give it another look as it's decidedly non-stop "a bit much."
Reply by Benton12
on April 23, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Word has it Cagney accepted the overblown film to prove he was not communist.