Review of The Roaring Twenties (1939) by Marc M — 05 Nov 2007
One of the last and arguably the greatest of the Warner gangster cycle films, "The Roaring Twenties" is the inspiration behind almost every contemporary gangster film; in fact, there are perhaps more shots in "The Godfather" inspired by this film than perhaps any other.
Raoul Walsh was one of Hollywood's most talented (and critically underrated) directors, and tough guys Cagney, Bogart, and Paul Kelly create some pretty unforgettable contrasting characters. The slowly building confrontation between Cagney and Bogart drives much of the film, and the incredible performance of Gladys George as the Texas Guinan-like Panama Smith is not to be missed (George was a wonderful actress, who never really had another role like Panama Smith, and deserved much wider recognition and better vehicles than she got).
The final scene on the streets of New York is the simply the best of any gangster film ever. See this one.
This review of The Roaring Twenties (1939) was written by Marc M on 05 Nov 2007.
The Roaring Twenties has generally received very positive reviews.
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