How this film missed out on the 100 Most inspiring films list is beyond me. Cagney is treated miserably by Ann Sheridan, is practically blinded and still is content and happy. Amazing, if not exactly realistic. The highpoint of the movie for me was the boxing sequence which was long and brutal. It was mesmerizing in a way that you felt for Cagney as he was being pummeled.
Elsewhere, Frank McHugh is a wonderful second banana, the Frank Craven role is just pretentious blather (and further distances this film from reality), a very young Anthony Quinn looks...odd cast as a professional dancer and Elia Kazan does make a good slimy mobster. Donald Crisp is a good-hearted manager who only cares for the welfare of Cagney (yeah, right) and Charles Lane does a nice bit as the dance team manager.
Overall, a good, not great film, if you are willing to swallow some of its romanticized aspects.
One other note: you might notice the boxer in the training room that walks by in extremely short and revealing shorts and the two dancers near the end with very revealing fishnet costumes that leave very little to the imagination. How did these pass the censors?
Elsewhere, Frank McHugh is a wonderful second banana, the Frank Craven role is just pretentious blather (and further distances this film from reality), a very young Anthony Quinn looks...odd cast as a professional dancer and Elia Kazan does make a good slimy mobster. Donald Crisp is a good-hearted manager who only cares for the welfare of Cagney (yeah, right) and Charles Lane does a nice bit as the dance team manager.
Overall, a good, not great film, if you are willing to swallow some of its romanticized aspects.
One other note: you might notice the boxer in the training room that walks by in extremely short and revealing shorts and the two dancers near the end with very revealing fishnet costumes that leave very little to the imagination. How did these pass the censors?