What makes it different from others?

Lack of good storyline.

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

July 4th 2018. These UNITED States are currently in a state of dissension. Not since the civil war has our nation been so divided politically. One Party pushing against another on issues of Pro life vs Abortion. The handling of immigration. Open boarders vs stricter boarder policies. Overwrought Party allegiances, the liberal left against the conservative right. Even the media is split in their politics. Real news vs Fake news. Way back in the 1970's my Best friend Dave was telling me about a movie entitled Yankee Doodle Dandy, the biographic story of the great Broadway Showman George M. Cohan played by Hollywood tough guy James Cagney in his second non-Mobster role. Our film starts with our star an elder George M. Cohan meeting with President Franklin Roosevelt in his oval office. Oblivious as to why he was summoned there for a one on one meeting with the commander-in-chief. Our movie flashes back in time to where it all began for the song and dance man. Versatile and imaginative George M. Cohan who was actually born on the Third of July in the late 1800's grew up literally in the back stages of every vaudeville house in the country. His Parents and sister had an act with little feisty fourth, George which was billed The Four Cohan's. Basically a song and dance act. In between acts George would want to improvise, shake up the act with contemporary songs much to the consternation of the stage managers. Fine acting by the precocious Douglas Croft as a young George M.. George never had a formal education. His schooling came from the inner belly of backstage life learning about contracts and bookings and improvising acts studying the audience's reactions to certain aspects of the act. George learned about writing lyrics, music and choreography. By his early adulthood learned the art of manipulating producers to open shows . What attracted me to the movie was the patriotic narrative and energy James Cagney displayed and that signature stiff legged strut which in fact is not James Cagney's dancing style but the actual dancing steps used by the master George M. Cohan. Dancing coach Johnny Boyle was instrumental in getting Cagney as close to the real George M. style of dancing as physically possible. Moreover, Cagney studied Cohan while watching an actual George M. Cohan performance. Again with movies and biographies there are numerous in-inaccuracies or falsehoods in the story. The real George M. was married twice but out of convenience he had one wife in this story. In truth the real George M. Cohan saw this movie prior to his death and stated." This isn't anything close to my life's story but I truly enjoyed it anyway." The part of Mary was played by Joan Leslie. Leslie did have some singing numbers which stood out in the picture. The actual events with song connections were fictionalized but I personally didn't care. I was truly entertained from start to finish. When I first saw this picture I thought it was the real President Franklin Roosevelt, but actually it was a masterful impressionist's job by Jack Young. Kudos to the makeup and set design departments in the production of this picture. I enjoyed the stages of aging as you see Cagney change from a young spry energetic Cohan to an elderly man . The supporting cast of Walter Huston as Jerry Cohan and Rosemary DeCamp as Mrs. Cohan . Jimmy Cagney always tried to include his family in his business, most notably he had his brother William as his agent/manager for most of his career . James recommended using his sister Jeanne to play the part of Josie Cohan in this film. Familiar character actors were scattered throughout the film. George Tobias, S.Z. Sakall, Minor Watson and Richard Wharf as the straight forward business partner Sam Harris. Irene Manning plays a self centered actress and has some nice singing numbers in this flick of patriotism. Just a feel good movie to watch on the 4th of July and remember "Don't print it- it's strictly off the record!' One of my favorite numbers in the movie.

An undeniable standout in the show-biz-centric musicals of the era. Where most are disposable song-and-dance-and-not-much-else tales, this takes a deeper look at the changing of trends and the difficulty of relevance. Clearly influenced by the experimentation of Citizen Kane, it boasts cool cinematography and solid editing. Cagney (when not being asked to sing) is great, playing the flawed but lovable song-and-dance man. Even if it isn't as transcendent as its reputation holds, it's still a noble good time.

Copyright 2 January 1943 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Hollywood Theater: 29 May 1942. U.S. release: May 1942. U.K. release: 19 September 1942. Australian release: 30 September 1943. Sydney release: 24 September 1943 (Tatler Theater). Australian length: 11,563 feet (128½ minutes). U.S. length: 126 minutes.SYNOPSIS: George M. Cohan — from birth to Broadway to "President".NOTES: Initial domestic gross: $4,800,000. In addition to his Academy Award, James Cagney also won the New York Film Critics award for Best Actor (he walked away with the award, receiving 13 votes to 2 on the very first ballot!). Curtiz was nominated for Best Director but dropped out after the second ballet. (The award was eventually won by John Farrow for "Wake Island"). When I interviewed Jimmy Cagney, there were two films he was especially fond of. One, of course, was "Footlight Parade" (1933) which took Cagney out of the noir aura of thieves and gangsters and into the song-and-dance world of musical comedy. His other favorite film of course was "Yankee Doodle Dandy" which Cagney felt did such important work as a wartime morale-booster that any liberties the script took with the real facts of George M. Cohan's birth (he was actually born on July 3, not July 4) and life story were totally unimportant. COMMENT: ?Yankee Doodle Dandy" was obviously filmed on a blank check as a war-time propaganda gesture. Cohan himself died a few months after the film's release. He was ill at the time and took no part in the production which, as might be expected of Hollywood, takes considerable liberties, both major and minor with his career. Although he regarded July 4th as his birthday, Cohan was actually born on July 3rd which makes total nonsense of the entire first ten or fifteen minutes of the film. A nauseating performance by Walter Huston – actively abetting this lie – doesn't help either. Another equally outlandish falsehood occurs in the later stages of the film when Cohan denies having made any movies whereas he made several, including two sound films — The Phantom President (1932) and Gambling (1934).Oddly, and to my great surprise, Cohan himself hated the movie, which is surprising in view of the fact that it so vigorously abets the lie that he was born on July 4. The problem no doubt is that the movie lies on such an enormous raft of other details as well. It is really a fairy tale rather than a genuine "life".Nonetheless, this is rousing, bouncy entertainment, with Cagney flashily hoofing and singing such Cohan standards as "Give My Regards to Broadway", "I Was Born In Virginia" and "Over There".One of the highlights of the film are the two long scenes from the stage presentation of "Yankee Doodle Dandy". Cagney deserved his Best Actor Award. He dominates the entire film. He tells the story in flashback and appears in just about every scene, except of course the early ones with the child actors. Aside from his opening scenes, Huston is effective, also sings his own songs and does his own hoofing, but the other principal players are either colorless or put in the shade by Cagney, particularly Jeanne Cagney and to a lesser extent De Camp, Leslie and Whorf. Irene Manning tends to over-act and does not come across too attractively though she sings in her own voice. As in "Lillian Russell", Eddie Foy does his father again to perfection, but alas has only one unimportant scene with Cagney. What could be omitted is a lot of the routine domestic trivia with which the director seems as bored as we are. Curtiz comes to life during the parades and songs and Siegel has provided a couple of lively montages, including an extremely elaborate one of the neon lights of Old Broadway. Production values are superlative.AVAILABLE on a superb Warner DVD.

Grand Old Hollywood biopic of entertainer and songwriter George M. Cohan. As with all Hollywood biopics, past and present, it takes liberties with the facts for dramatic purposes. If you're someone who is irritated by that, watch something else. The rest of you just sit back and enjoy this great movie with lots of rousing songs and an Oscar-winning performance from James Cagney. Patriotic, uplifting, and lots of fun. If they made it today it'd be all about Cohan having a mistress or a heroin addiction or some other defamation designed to break down rather than build up. Back in the day Hollywood made biographies about people that focused on the good and inspirational qualities of their lives. They don't make 'em like that anymore.