Review of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) by Matt P — 07 Nov 2010

This is such a breakthrough for Cagney. Such a different roll compared to that of his gangster movies. And although the context and story may be drastically different for Cagney, it's all just as good as one like "The Public Enemy.

" The movie is about an optimistic man rising through fame and fortune in vaudeville and Broadway. In a sense, the movie can also be sort of a biopic towards Cagney himself. With how he puts himself out there into goofy situations, or large dance numbers and doesn't care what other people think.

The story of George M. Cohan is not only entertaining but compelling, and realistic. A good chunk of American history cut out and made into one fantastic movie musical. The dance numbers(especially the tapping) all reminded me of stuff Gene Kelly would've done, but I even think Cagney was better and more loose the Kelly on certain dances.

When you see Cagney's stiff sort of figure walk onscreen with that serious expression, you might not understand how someone like him can break into numerical steps. Well, he does. His character was funny, talented, and totally original, which he quotes as saying at a part in the movie that "you don't want to be like the rest of them, do you?" Yankee Doodle Dandy is a classic musical with wonderful dance numbers that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

It's a piece of American history and even art.