fredbaetz Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Another year and no birthday tribute to the wonderful Jimmy Cagney. Has he ever had one. Or has he ever had a "Star of the Month"? Jimmy has a big fan base out there and richly deserved. Does anyone know why he's been overlooked ? Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 46 minutes ago, fredbaetz said: Another year and no birthday tribute to the wonderful Jimmy Cagney. Has he ever had one. Or has he ever had a "Star of the Month"? Jimmy has a big fan base out there and richly deserved. Does anyone know why he's been overlooked ? Check out the General Discussions section for the thread entitled "Cagney". This conversation has been ongoing for the last few days. Link to post Share on other sites
Moorman Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Cagney is one of the more popular classic Hollywood actors that I have not gotten into yet. I saw White Heat and liked it. What are some of his best films? Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 15 hours ago, fredbaetz said: Another year and no birthday tribute to the wonderful Jimmy Cagney. Has he ever had one. Or has he ever had a "Star of the Month"? Jimmy has a big fan base out there and richly deserved. Does anyone know why he's been overlooked ? Cagney has been SOTM twice (1998, 2008, so he may be one again, soon), and featured in Summer Under the Stars multiple times. Since Cagney was under contract for Warner Bros for much of his career his films are shown a lot more than most stars. TCM can't have birthday tributes for all the stars or even 10% of them, since that would lock up 80% of their programming. This is simple math. Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 16 minutes ago, Moorman said: Cagney is one of the more popular classic Hollywood actors that I have not gotten into yet. I saw White Heat and liked it. What are some of his best films? The Public Enemy Angels with Dirty Faces The Roaring Twenties Each Dawn I Die Torrid Zone The Fighting 69th Yankee Doodle Dandy Love Me or Leave Me I would consider all of these, along with White Heat, as essential Cagney. Most of the others are at least good, with only a couple of total busts in his filmography. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 26 minutes ago, Moorman said: Cagney is one of the more popular classic Hollywood actors that I have not gotten into yet. I saw White Heat and liked it. What are some of his best films? Wow, some of Cagney's best films would be a very long list. Adding to the list already provided: Early 30s films; These are not great productions (i.e. made in a few weeks, re-hashed scripts), but early Cagney has so much energy and gusto, that even with the lack of production 'values' these are worth seeing (many also feature Joan Blondell and they made a great team); Blonde Crazy, Smart Money, Taxi, Lady Killer. Footlight Parade: Now this is a musical but Cagney plays the part of a production showman with a gangster type persona. Also with Blondell the dialog and banter is a hoot, and there are the Berkeley dances sequences. The Strawberry Blonde; This shows a softer side of Cagney, but he still is full of energy and gusto; With Olivia DeHavilland (she makes the film for me), and a radiant but not so nice Rita Hayworth. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
fredbaetz Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 Cagney dominated Warner's in the 1930's and somewhat in the 40's. If you're unfamiliar with his work the best thing to do is start at the beginning. The film that shot him to stardom was "The Public Enemy". William "Wild Bill" Wellman told production head Darryl F. Zanuck he would make the biggest, toughest gangster ever and he did. A story of 2 boyhood friends who turn to a life of crime. Lead Edward Woods and James Cagney as the pal were cast. But after a few days, Wellman looks at the rushes and realizes that Cagney is the dominate actor and switches leads. The film and Cagney blows everyone away. But Jimmy wasn't just a tough guy, he started out as a hoofer. The guy could sing, dance, do comedy and use a gat. Any of the films listed above by jamesjazzguitar will win you over as a Cagney. But also his Academy Award nominated film "Angels With Dirty Faces" will blow you away The ending is still one of the greatest acting pieces you'll ever see. To round out the 1930's is "The Roaring Twenties". Start the 40's with Jimmy's Academy Award for Best Actor "Yankee Doodle Dandy". The bio pic of song and dance man George M. Cohan Jimmy and Warner's butted heads in the 30's and 40's and Jimmy left and came back. He did some good films outside Warner Bros. but at Warner's he was at his best with scripts, directors and co stars. I hope this has been of some help, sorry if I ran a little long...Fred... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Moorman Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 My bad. I have seen The Public Enemy. Its a great film. In fact I commented in a thread about Scarface (1983) about how two scenes in that movie were lifted from The Public Enemy. So, I have seen White Heat and The Public Enemy. I'm gonna look at some of the films on the lists posted above. They look like great lists... Link to post Share on other sites
kjrwe Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 I really like James Cagney. He did such a good job in: Picture Snatcher The Public Enemy The Roaring Twenties Each Dawn I Die City for Conquest White Heat ...and I'm probably forgetting a film or two. He made a better gangster than Edward G. Robinson did, in my opinion....and I like Edward G. Robinson. Link to post Share on other sites
Mitchell Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 I read that angels with dirty faces is rarely shown because it cost TMC more money than other Cagney warner bros films...that's a shame it's my favorite. ..I also never see lady killer which I love because through cagney character we get a behind scene look at how movies were make in 30s...and he a classic cagney tough guy...he was truly one of our greatest actors..and from what I've read he was a great guy who treated people well..fame and wealth never went to his head ...he was one of very few stars who wouldn't cave in to studio underpaying talent and working them 18 hours 6 days a week...he went on strike and held out where others caved in....he was willing give up his film career return to stage in NY for much less money...stardom didn't drive him....this forced WB to cab in because his money made a large profit. ..he also helped form and grow strength of screen actors guild helping all actors . Link to post Share on other sites
Oneeyeopen Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 I'm a big fan of Cagney and enjoyed his performance in Man of A Thousand Faces, Love Me or Leave Me, Footlight Parade, West Point Story, Blood on the Sun, and 13 Rue Madeleine. An of course all those mentioned previously. Let's not forget his brief role in Ragtime, one of his last films before his death. Link to post Share on other sites
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