Audience Member
Made just one year after 'The Public Enemy', James Cagney had truly made it in Hollywood when this film was made, and here he's engaging as always. However, while it's wonderful to see him dance a couple times (and to see George Raft dance as well), it's less than wonderful to see his character's pugnaciousness extending to threatening to hit his girlfriend (Loretta Young) several times. If you're sensitive to that, you may want to skip this one. Even at age 19, Young was practically an industry veteran given her filmography, and she turns in a good performance, both standing up to Cagney (at least to some extent) and falling for him. She also confessed to falling for him in real life, and maybe some of that chemistry shows.
It's a tight script and story-telling from director Roy Del Ruth, but it is a little silly how much Young's character helps Cagney's enemy (David Landau). I loved the stock city shots in New York that are used in transitions, and the film zips along in its 69 minutes. The scene in the nightclub, with music by the Cotton Club Orchestra and some sexy dancing, is also a nice little bit of pre-code fun, as is Young briefly in her lingerie in a typical pre-code dressing scene. The main reason to watch the film, though, is to see Cagney's range. He's playful, romantic, speaks Yiddish, dances, and of course gets tough, busting off lines like "Come out and take it, you dirty yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!" Despite its flaws, it's entertaining, and worth seeing.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
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Audience Member
Another Cagney Masterpiece that should've been named something different since taxis weren't really at all the plot of this movie. A large middle section is devoted to Cagney trying to win over the lead dame, but the beginning sets up the story and a great ending ensues.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The early 1930's in New York City is the scene for this movie where men fight one another for advantage in the taxi business. The women in their lives get embroiled in the crime wave that breaks out... A Fare to Remember--Tough Taxi Driver Threatens All With a Punch in the Face, Even His Girl - And She Don't Mind... Early Cagney and He's Gassed Up!!
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Entertaining James Cagney picture has him as a hot headed NYC cabbie who's cab company has gone to war with their rival taxi company. This movie is the source of Cagney's most famous misquoted line, "You dirty rat!" where win this film he actually says, "Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!" Loretta Young, plays his girl, who at one point participate in a dance competition and their chief rival is actually a before-he-was-famous George Raft, who get's tough with Cagney. I've also never really appreciated Loretta Young much, but she's quite good in this picture. She was only 19 when this film came out, but she'd already appeared in nearly 40 films. She's someone I think I'll start checking her work out more, like I've been doing with Hedy Lamarr.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
cagney+young=good chem
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The script isn't air-tight, but it's solid, and the story is a tale as old as time with a rather interesting (in either a bad or good way depending on your own opinion) outcome and James Cagney is amazing in it.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
Full Review
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