YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
US, 1942, 126 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Rosemary de Camp, Richard Whorf, George Tobias, Jeanne Cagney, Irene Manning. S. Z. Sakall, Frances Langford, Eddie Foy Jnr.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Yankee Doodle Dandy is an energetic and enjoyable musical biopic of the early '40s. Director is by Michael Curtiz, director of many swashbuckling adventures of the '30s and later to make musicals such as Night and Day, The Vagabond King and Doris Day features of the '50s. The film contains also the Oscar-winning performance by James Cagney as George M. Cohan. It was reported that he was Cohan's choice for the role. He invests it with his dynamic energy and an engaging grace in contrast with his violent gangsters in so many films. Cagney is excellent as a song and dance man. (He resumed his role for a guest spot in the Bob Hope vehicle The Seven Little Foys - with Eddie Foy in. portraying his own father in the present film.) There is very good support from the charming Joan Leslie as Cohan's wife, Walter Huston doing song and dance routines as his father and Jeanne Cagney as his sister. Director Richard Whorf is his long-time partner.
The film is designed as World War Two propaganda with Cohan receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor from F. D. Roosevelt and relating his life to him. The film is an engaging piece of Americana and the history of vaudeville and the Broadway theatre. Cohan's popular songs are given the full treatment, including 'Over There' and its rousing morale-boosting for Americans’ involvement in World War One.
Curtiz was to win the Oscar in the following year for his direction of the classic Casablanca.
1. An attractive and entertaining biopic? A Warner Brothers musical? A fictionalised account of George M. Cohan? A piece of Americana and nostalgia? Part of the American war effort of 1942?
2. The contributions of the talent: James Cagney resuming his musical style and going against gangster style in an Oscar-winning performance? Michael Curtiz and his experience? Walter Huston and the supporting cast? Frances Langford?
3. Black and white photography: World War Two atmosphere, Washington and the White House? The memories of 1878, the 1890s, vaudeville, Broadway, the theatre, agencies, World War I, the '20s?
4. The contribution of the musical score: Cohan's songs and lyrics? Traditional songs? Yankee Doodle Dandy, Give My Regards to Broadway, Mary, Over There?
5. George M. Cohan and his reputation, contribution to American theatre, his contribution to American morale? Winner of the Congressional Medal?
6. James Cagney's style as Cohan? Telling his story? The flashbacks, the details of his early life, relationships, theatre? The simplicity of his arrival at the White House, discussions with the President? The significance of his life, his success? His early vanity and manoeuvring agents etc.? The love for the family, their taking a bow together? His writing, his work with Sam Harris? His wanting to join up for World War One? His successes during the 1920s and his one flop? His contribution to America? His relationship with Mary - courting her, relying on her wisdom, marrying her?
7. The sketch of the Cohan family - pleasant picture of a family, stage work, the details of their song and dance routines, the children? Joining in - precociously? Their reliance on their children? The strength of characterisations? The birthday scene for father? The father's death?
8. Mary and her stagestruck attitudes? Talking to George with his beard on, mistaking him for an old man? Background of Buffalo? Her singing his song and getting the sack? Getting to know him? The song 'Mary' and her appreciation of it? Her allowing it to go to Faye Templeton? The happiness of the marriage and her being a support to Cohan?
9. The background of the theatre business - the agents rejecting Cohan and Harris? The money men putting up capital for shows? The work with Harris ~ conman tricks, collaboration, the breaking of the partnership?
10. The Broadway stars - Faye Templeton and her talent and temperament?
11. The staging of the shows - the elaborate first play of Mr. Jones as the Yankee Doodle Dandy and the details of the fixing of the race etc.? The variety of songs? The staging of 'Over There' with Frances Langford?
12. Idealistic Americana? Cohan not known by the new generation? His impersonating Roosevelt for the war effort? Propaganda in its time? Entertainment now?
