Written by James M. Tate / 8/08/2016 / No comments / barbara stanwyk , drama , fifties , james cagney , small town , teen
AN OLDER JAMES CAGNEY IN THESE WILDER YEARS
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Year Released: 1957 |
James Cagney is a prime example. During the 1930's after accidentally hitting it big as the lead in PUBLIC ENEMY, a role that was supposed to go to the taller, more standard, typical Hollywood-looking guy and then wound up becoming Cagney's to own: the minute he smashed food on that dame's face a long journey had been ignited, and during that decade there are over ten programmers where his swagger, bravado, confidence, and dancing is in full form: From B-Pictures like PICTURE SNATCHER, WINNER TAKE ALL and our personal favorite, THE ST. LOUIS KID to crime flicks like G-MEN and EACH DAWN I DIE, con artist flicks like LADY KILLER and BLONDE CRAZY, patriotic but never too corny or cliche ventures like HERE COMES THE NAVY and eventually, Early Film Noir/Melodrama classics like CITY FOR CONQUEST and especially THE ROARING TWENTIES...
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Poster and Warner DVD Cover Art |
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Betty Lou Keim as Suzy |
Leading us to THESE WILDER YEARS, a chance for Cagney to really, truly and literally grow up and play a man who probably never shot a gun or threatened anyone's life; although in his past he wasn't an altogether perfect guy, and that comes through as the movie progresses – beginning with an establishing shot of a giant steel corporation, and the name of the joint happens to be the last name of Cagney's Steve... Steve Bradford... And like most of his characters, he has a brisk forward-stride like some determined, unstoppable little ox... He's a gentleman though, at least behind his particularly nice attire, and has one goal in mind...
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Betty Lou Keim |
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James Cagney |
For the 1950's, the subject of an underaged girl being pregnant was pushing the envelope, and WILDER YEARS has enough content within to remain entertaining even through pockets of cliche dialogue leading to an extremely predictable ending, visible for miles – it is, though, the only ending that would fit the sparse small town atmosphere during the postcard-perfect (on the surface) Eisenhower era.
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James Cagney with Betty Lou Keim |
His "performance" in court is awkward and even somewhat endearing, making him more sympathetic than pathetic. If anyone remembers the more passive, older grandpa in SIXTEEN CANDLES (the one who talks about "Long Duck Dong" and not Max "Boobies!" Showalter), it's the same actor, younger and still seeming old. As for the film's message: While today it's typical and standard for parents to find their grown-up children and especially vice versa, this movie, if anything else, is propaganda for the privacy of the adopted child and his foster parents.
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MGM Lion's Rock-Crop Hairdo SCORE: ***1/2 |
Labels:
barbara stanwyk,
drama,
fifties,
james cagney,
small town,
teen
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