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City for Conquest

Play trailer Poster for City for Conquest 1940 1h 41m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Truck driver Danny Kenny (James Cagney) gets into boxing to help his talented younger brother, Eddie (Arthur Kennedy), pay for music school. But when Danny's relationship with his girlfriend, Peggy Nash (Ann Sheridan), disintegrates, boxing becomes his life. After Danny's blows knock down opponent after opponent, he gets a shot at competing for the welterweight championship. But when a corrupt fight ends with Danny's vision getting damaged, his entire future is put into question.
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City for Conquest

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 11/01/2007
Picture carries plenty of dramatic punch. Go to Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times 03/25/2006
2/5
Uunevenly paced, mounts slowly to a sizzling prizefight sequence, which comes somewhere about the middle, then sags off to a long-drawn, agonized finish. Go to Full Review TV Guide 11/01/2007
3.5/4
Litvak's careful poduction overcomes any flaws. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 07/22/2006
B-
The heartwrenching tearjerker love story surfaces at the end as a winner by a narrow decision. Go to Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 05/24/2003
Cagney's marvellous performance almost saves the mawkish ending. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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tucker s Oct 11 One of my favorite movies of all time. Absolutely outstanding. Not sure how anyone could give it a bad review.... See more David F @dfulmer 10/04/2024 A soapy boxing film. See more 07/01/2020 I thought I had seen most of the James Cagney movies and then discovered "City for Conquest" on TCM. It boasts a wonderful performance by Cagney and Ann Sheridan too and director Elia Kazan in an acting role as a gangster before he began directing films. A very enjoyable film and have a handkerchief available for the finale. See more 06/29/2019 sappy, by todays standards See more 06/14/2019 Cagney boxing movie. Melodramatic, but very enjoyable. See more bill t @Spuzz 05/15/2017 Interesting parrallel story of a up and coming boxer and his goil, an up and coming singer, sort of falls apart in the second half and becomes oscar bait sentimentality with Cagney chewing the scenery. Ends with a big number, a big speech AND a tearful reunion! Ho boy... See more Read all reviews
City for Conquest

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Cast & Crew

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Anatole Litvak

Director

James Cagney

Danny Kenny

Ann Sheridan

Peggy Nash

Frank Craven

`'Old Timer'`

Donald Crisp

Scotty MacPherson

Frank McHugh

`'Mutt'`

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City for Conquest

City for Conquest (1940) City for Conquest (1940) City for Conquest (1940) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Truck driver Danny Kenny (James Cagney) gets into boxing to help his talented younger brother, Eddie (Arthur Kennedy), pay for music school. But when Danny's relationship with his girlfriend, Peggy Nash (Ann Sheridan), disintegrates, boxing becomes his life. After Danny's blows knock down opponent after opponent, he gets a shot at competing for the welterweight championship. But when a corrupt fight ends with Danny's vision getting damaged, his entire future is put into question.
Director
Anatole Litvak
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 21, 1940, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 41m
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