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Love Me or Leave Me

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Love Me or Leave Me

Released Jun 10, 1955

2h 2m

Musical

Music

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Popcornmeter

71%

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7 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

During the 1920s, a small-time Chicago criminal, Martin Snyder (James Cagney), discovers a beautiful dancer, Ruth Etting (Doris Day), after she's fired from her job at a nightclub. Under Martin's management, Ruth works her way to the top of the entertainment industry, eventually becoming a famous jazz singer and Broadway actress. But as Ruth's popularity grows, Martin's obsessive and controlling behavior begins to threaten her success and happiness.

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Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

A slow crawl through a hellish relationship.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 25, 2005

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Andrew Sarris

Film Culture

Charles Vidor has mounted a solid, grimy-textured production around his two principals, and must be credited in some measure for Doris Day's triumph over off-beat casting.

Feb 3, 2021

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Truthfully told musical saga of '20s singer Ruth Etting with fine turn by Doris Day; Cagney eats up scenery.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 22, 2008

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Doris was called on to act dramatically and not just sing and be the girl-next-door.

Rated: C+

Aug 13, 2007

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

As a highly colored biopic, it's is an enjoyable mix of Day putting her stamp on Etting's best known songs and the contrasting acting styles of Day and Cagney.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 7, 2007

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Charles Vidor's crime-gangster musical, about the rise of fall of singer Ruth Etting, offers James Cagney (Oscar-nominated) and Doris Day some of the best dramatic roles of their careers.

Rated: B+

Jul 18, 2005

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Gabrielle d

Cagney is mesmerizing; Doris Day is Doris Day and Cameron Mitchel is solid. What I couldn't understand was the horrible costume and hair designs, and the odd, odd 1927 Ziegfeld Follies number. The costumes were pure 50s with defined waists (this is supposed to be 1920s-30s, folks) and the hair was straight out of Pajama game; not a cloche hat or a spit-curl in the fill. The Ziegfeld number looked like something out of There's No Business Like Show Business or Cover Girl, not Ziegfeld. Obviously, no Edith Head or Irene Sharif around.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/07/22

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Audience Member

Doris Day never had a better role, though her funny crying scenes may have prevented her from snagging an Oscar nomination.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

Wonderful film due to Doris Day’s great performance. She finally shows she can handle heavy performing with real depth. It’s only dragged down by the stereotypical (and hugely irritating) James Cagney schtick.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/02/21

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Audience Member

Doris Day and James Cagney are brilliant in this story of singer Ruth Etting's life and career with an unlikeable manager played by Cagney. MGM made these kind of picturr better than any other studio.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/18/21

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steve d

Day is terrible and the story is weak.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Diane H

Great. Love Doris Day. Songs were great.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/30/19

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Charles Vidor

Director

Doris Day

Ruth Etting

James Cagney

Martin Snyder

Cameron Mitchell

Johnny Alderman

Robert Keith

Bernard V. Loomis

Tom Tully

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Synopsis

During the 1920s, a small-time Chicago criminal, Martin Snyder (James Cagney), discovers a beautiful dancer, Ruth Etting (Doris Day), after she's fired from her job at a nightclub. Under Martin's management, Ruth works her way to the top of the entertainment industry, eventually becoming a famous jazz singer and Broadway actress. But as Ruth's popularity grows, Martin's obsessive and controlling behavior begins to threaten her success and happiness.

Director: Charles Vidor
Producer: Joe Pasternak
Screenwriter: Daniel Fuchs, Isobel Lennart
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Musical, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 1955, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2015
Runtime: 2h 2m

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