I think I might have heard the warning signals about Jimmy Cagney's Yankee Doodle Dandy as a movie that was great when it came out (1942) as it was exactly the type of movie the USA needed, but after watching it, I must say that I agree with a lot of people that say that this movie hasn't dated very well, and it's over the top patriotism would probably make people wince.
Jimmy Cagney is here playing George M. Cohan, one of the more brilliant songwriters that ever lived. While Cagney is great here, swiftly playing against type tapping his shoes while everyone expects him to shoot his gun, one wonders if that's what the Academy gave him the award for, because when you think about it, it's quite a one-dimensional character he plays. Essentially playing out his whole life, the 2nd half of the movie just essentially is a visual resume of everything he wrote. Like we hardly get any insight into the man, what made him tick. A lot of his life is glossed over for that extra musical number.
Speaking of, get ready to be bombarded with every American flag ever made, as the musical numbers are so unabashedly patriotic and heart-bleedingly American that I actually started laughing at how over the top it was. While the songs are great (Yankee Doodle Boy and Mary are the two standouts) the whole story and set-ups just makes this one a curio at best.
Jimmy Cagney is here playing George M. Cohan, one of the more brilliant songwriters that ever lived. While Cagney is great here, swiftly playing against type tapping his shoes while everyone expects him to shoot his gun, one wonders if that's what the Academy gave him the award for, because when you think about it, it's quite a one-dimensional character he plays. Essentially playing out his whole life, the 2nd half of the movie just essentially is a visual resume of everything he wrote. Like we hardly get any insight into the man, what made him tick. A lot of his life is glossed over for that extra musical number.
Speaking of, get ready to be bombarded with every American flag ever made, as the musical numbers are so unabashedly patriotic and heart-bleedingly American that I actually started laughing at how over the top it was. While the songs are great (Yankee Doodle Boy and Mary are the two standouts) the whole story and set-ups just makes this one a curio at best.