Matthew D
A magnificent rom-com with a fiercely likable James Cagney and lovable Olivia de Havilland!
Director Raoul Walsh's romantic comedy The Strawberry Blonde (1941) is a sheer pleasure with charismatic acting and dynamic direction. Walsh gives us a barnburner of an opening to immediately endear us to James Cagney's tough guy dentist and romantic hero Biff Grimes, then proceeds backwards into a dreamy flashback, before unveiling his final sweet reveal in the ending. I loved how upbeat and sympathetic Walsh's direction feels towards Biff Grimes always getting the short end of the stick as well as the unappreciated beauty and mind of Olivia de Havilland's charming Amy Lind. Biff and Amy are easy to root for as they're hard working class people just trying to find loyal and considerate love.
Writers Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein crafts a brilliant script from original writer James Hagan's story. I love how hilariously funny The Strawberry Blonde is as it derives humor out of gender norms and expectations. Their swift humor, complex dramatic feeling, and sincere romantic kindness gives endlessly dreamy gestures. Every quiet moment shows off Cagney's dramatic skills and Olivia de Havillan's nuanced abilities in portraying Amy's sweetness and intelligence. I was quite taken aback by how clever and funny The Strawberry Blonde still feels, besides the wonderfully affectionate romance of Biff and Amy. From an annoyed pair to loyal life partners, Biff and Amy's tale of love and patience is a testament to the fact that you should seek out a smart and loyal girl to marry, not just for beauty.
James Cagney is amazing as the charismatic Biff Grimes. His dentist is surprisingly charming and relatable as he's always down on his luck until his dental career takes off. Cagney shines opposite Havilland in a cute relationship. He gets to be the tough guy, but more mature as Biff learns and grows as a man. Olivia de Havilland is lovely and charming as the graceful, loyal, intelligent, and independent thinking nurse Amy Lind. Her adoration for Cagney's Biff is clear in her soft eyes. It's such a pleasure watching Cagney and Havilland fall in love on screen.
Rita Hayworth gets to be a pretty femme fatale and unbearable gold digger named Virginia Brush. Her shallow love interest is always looking for the next wallet and date with constant complaints and expectations of lavish dates. Hayworth is excellent in The Strawberry Blonde because you'll know quickly that Virginia is no Amy. Jack Carson is heinous as the lecherous traitor Hugo Barnstead. I like that he gets his comeuppance in the end. I realized how evil and casual this rich CEO Hugo is as he betrays his friend numerous times and ultimately gets cast into the hell of Virginia's constant companionship and complaints.
Alan Hale is funny as Biff's Irish drinker father William 'Old Man' Grimes. George Tobias is a riot as Greek barber Nicholas Pappalas. He's a kind and funny friend to Cagney's Biff. Una O'Connor is quite amusing as the Irish lady Mrs. Timothy Mulcahey. Edward McNamara is rugged as the stout bar owner Big Joe.
Editor William Holmes keeps The Strawberry Blonde moving with a fast pace and at a tight 97 minutes. It's all romance and humor with the hardened drama to ground the characters. Holmes' plucky cutting is as clever as the writing. Cinematographer James Wong Howe has an innovative moving camera panning style that lets Cagney run around, but lets us see their faces close-up for the emotional scenes. Robert M. Haas' art direction uses shadows and striking lighting to create a slightly moody atmosphere. Things are generally lighthearted, but visually The Strawberry Blonde has a film noir aesthetic.
Composer Heinz Roemheld's triumphant big band music plays jazz and classical pieces with ease. I like that Roemheld creates notable songs that come back with deeper emotional significance. Orry-Kelly's gowns for Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth are masterful and fashionable. Makeup artist Perc Westmore puts black eyes on Cagney and does Havilland up in a mesmerizingly cute dreamy blush, lipstick, and combed hair. Rita Hayworth gets more flair, but I could not take my eyes off of Olivia.
In all, The Strawberry Blonde has James Cagney teach us the value of a real woman like Olivia de Havilland.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/30/23
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Blobbo X
Cagney much fun. Hayworth and other girl very pretty. Good cast, plot, direction and nostalgia for the simpler times of 135 years ago.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/06/23
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Audience Member
A pleasant enough movie about turn-of-the-century New York. The movie clearly has a great deal of nostalgia for this time period, but to me it seems a fair bit outmoded in its social mores. The suffragette character is played for laughs and turns out to be faking it all anyway. It's all a bit boring, to be honest, especially the first hour.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/22/23
Full Review
kevin w
Although there is a story here about the arc of one man's life in New York City at the turn-of-the-century, the gist of this piece is specifically nostalgia for those times. In the story Jimmy Cagney is effective as a unwitting loser who takes a lifetime to turn his life around. Alan Hale nearly steals the film as his father. Olivia DeHavilland is the "plain" woman who stands beside him regardless (but she is always outstanding, eh?), while George Tobias, Jack Carson and Rita Hayworth fill out the supporting cast. Be prepared to be inundated with the song "The Band Played On."
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Let's start with the star power - it's set to max here, with James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, and Rita Hayworth all in this movie, which is set in the gay 1890's. Hey, it was a time when street lamps were powered by gas, leeches were helpful for swelling after fisticuffs, and spaghetti was an exotic food! There is plenty of silliness in this movie, including the scene where everyone is baffled over how to eat spaghetti, and some of that may make you groan. It's also kind of crazy to think that Olivia de Havilland would be viewed as the booby prize, even to Hayward - I mean, talk about a plot hole. I loved how her character was a 'free thinker' - questioning marriage ("an institution started by the cavemen and endorsed by florists and jewelers"), hinting at free love, and believing in women's rights. Think of Natalie Wood's role 24 years later in 'The Great Race'. Unfortunately here it's softened somewhat by her own back-tracking and Cagney's admonishments that he won't have her smoking a cigarette, but she is intriguing and a little feisty nonetheless. The cast is excellent, including Jack Carson, who plays his oily and manipulative character well. It's a bit of a kitchen sink, with physical comedy, romance, and some musical numbers, including "The Band Played On" and "Meet Me in St. Louis". I would have given it a slightly lower rating, but loved the scenes of betrayal and love towards the end, which really made the movie for me. Perhaps that's just the kind of hairpin I am.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A completely charming movie from the early 1940's, "The Strawberry Blonde" is both a lesson on just how funny romantic comedies can and should be, as well as being a brilliant example of just what a great actor James Cagney was when he wasn't necessarily in Gangster mode... And the band played on--Olivia De Havilland deserves a whole chapter to herself. I doubt if she was ever better than as the tough kooky, Amy, who never tires of preaching women's lib... Brilliant, crisp film-making-A real charmer!!
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
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