Film Forum

U.S., 1942
Directed by Michael Curtiz
With James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf
Approx. 126 min. DCP.

“James Cagney is a marvelous song and dance man, and won an Academy Award for his tour de force performance in this four-star flag-waver as George M. Cohan, the legendary singer, actor, dancer, songwriter, play-wright, and all-around Yankee Doodle Boy who was born on the Fourth of July. The film came to movie houses during World War II and captures the mood of the moment as it unabashedly celebrates patriotism. Cohan was born into a theatrical family and was virtually raised in theaters and on the road. (His famous curtain speech for The Four Cohans was "My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you.") This movie traces his life through a series of vignettes, from childhood to retirement and a fateful meeting with the President of the United States. Throughout the film we hear songs that Cohan wrote and made famous: "Over There," "Grand Old Flag," "Give My Regards to Broadway," "Mary's a Grand Old Name," "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway," and the title tune. The production numbers are huge in scale and buoyant in spirit. Once your family sees Jimmy Cagney singing and dancing, they'll never forget him.” – Leonard Maltin, Leonard Maltin’s Family Film Guide

Reviews

“You will find as warm and delightful a musical picture as has hit the screen in years, a corking good entertainment and as affectionate, if not as accurate, a film biography as has ever – yes, ever – been made.”
 – Bosley Crowther, The New York Times