The Roaring Twenties

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Navid S. @navidshah94 Oct 24 A gripping, melancholic gangster epic — The Roaring Twenties isn’t just about crime, it’s about the rise and fall of a generation that came home from war and got lost in the madness of the American dream. James Cagney gives one of his most human performances — tough, loyal, and tragically decent in a corrupt world. The last scene hits like a punch to the gut. The film feels like a eulogy for the 1920s — and for the gangster genre itself. It’s stylish, tragic, and full of that raw Warner Bros. energy. A perfect farewell to the golden age of crime films. See more Leaburn O 09/05/2024 This was the last of the great 1940s films capturing 1920s prohibition gangsterism and to my mind it’s the best of the lot. The characters are believable and excellently acted. Cagney at his best here. Watched on DVD. See more David F 09/04/2024 This tale of WWI veterans examines the gangster life, particularly through the character played by James Cagney who can’t get his old mechanic job back after the war and ends up embroiled in the gangster lifestyle as a result. This is a canonical Warner Bros. gangster film, not one of the best, but one of them nonetheless. See more Angelo C 07/13/2024 Cagney and Humphrey at their best. The only problem is the ending…..sorry Cagney! See more Steve D 03/16/2024 The problem with these films is that you have no reason to care about any of the characters. See more Harry N 09/27/2023 A sweeping panorama of the lives of three WWI vets. It has two key observations which are largely ignored but I think bear significance. One is when Cagney spends a night in jail with an accused robber. The robber tells Cagney his only wish is for a gun. To either commit another crime or kill himself. Cagney asks him if he was a WWI vet. and he replies yes. Cagney counsels him not to do anything rash. Such scene examines what we call PTSD now. A later scene reunites Cagney with his younger attorney friend. The friend offers to help Cagney and indicates Cagney can work his way up and be back on his feet after some effort and time. Cagney declines indicating "I always took a short cut to the top." Again a very perceptive scene which demonstrates the criminal mindset of those who reject societies values. The writers understood their material. See more Read all reviews

The Roaring Twenties

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