Love Me or Leave Me

Play trailer

Love Me or Leave Me

Released Jun 10, 1955

2h 2m

Musical

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

A slow crawl through a hellish relationship.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 25, 2005

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

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

Full Review

Liam D

Even though the musical numbers and The Drama Clash unevenly it's still an wonderfully told story

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/01/21

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

steve d

Day is terrible and the story is weak.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Charles Vidor

Director

Doris Day

Ruth Etting

James Cagney

Martin Snyder

Cameron Mitchell

Johnny Alderman

Robert Keith

Bernard V. Loomis

Tom Tully

Frobisher

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

89%

87%

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Watchlist

The Band Wagon

95%

82%

The Band Wagon

Watchlist

Yolanda and the Thief

80%

46%

Yolanda and the Thief

Watchlist

Brigadoon

86%

71%

Brigadoon

Watchlist

The Pirate

78%

75%

The Pirate

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now