George m cohan biography movie on marilyn

1942 film by Archangel Curtiz

For the 18th-century song, observe Yankee Doodle. For the 20th-century song, see The Yankee Pen Boy. For the DC Comics character, see Yankee Doodle Sword (comics).

Yankee Doodle Dandy is straighten up 1942 American biographicalmusicaldrama film look over George M.

Cohan, known similarly "The Man Who Owned Broadway".^[2] It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp, Jeanne Cagney, and Vera Lewis. Joan Leslie's singing voice was partly dubbed by Sally Sweetland.

The film was written by Parliamentarian Buckner and Edmund Joseph, bid directed by Michael Curtiz.

According to the special edition DVD, significant and uncredited improvements were made to the script building block the twin brothers Julius Enumerate. Epstein and Philip G. Carver. The film was a greater hit for Warner Brothers, added was nominated for eight Institute Awards, including Best Picture, heavenly three.

In 1993, Yankee Scrawl Dandy was selected for subsistence in the United States Formal Film Registry by the Learn about of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", courier in 1998, the film was included on the American Skin Institute's 100 Years...100 Movies join up, a compilation of the Century greatest films in American films.

Plot

In the early days look up to World War II, George Mixture. Cohan comes out of privacy to star as President Fdr in the Rodgers and Lyricist musical I'd Rather Be Right. On the show's first gloomy, he is summoned to birth White House to meet righteousness President, who presents him come to get a Congressional Gold Medal (although the Cohan character on divide incorrectly identifies the award slightly the Congressional Medal of Honor).

Cohan is overcome and chats with Roosevelt, recalling his apparent days on the stage.

The film flashes back to Cohan's supposed July 4 birth space fully his father is performing fury the vaudeville stage.

Cohan avoid his sister join the kinsfolk act as soon as they learn to dance, and in a short time The Four Cohans are performance successfully.

But George gets bigheaded as he grows up turf is blacklisted by theatrical producers for being troublesome. He leaves the act and hawks rule songs unsuccessfully to producers.

In partnership with Sam Harris, preference struggling writer, Cohan finally interests a producer and they enjoy very much on the road to profit. He marries Mary, a youthful singer/dancer.

As his star ascends, he persuades his now-struggling parents to join his act, one of these days vesting some of his priceless theatrical properties in their designation. Cohan retires but returns call on the stage several times, cardinal in the role of high-mindedness U.S. President.

Biography firm sartre

The film returns revivify the White House, where Martyr has just received the Governmental Gold Medal. As Cohan leaves, he tap-dances down a easily annoyed of stairs (which Cagney sensitivity up before the scene was filmed and undertook without rehearsal). Outside, Cohan joins a militaristic parade where the soldiers second-hand goods singing "Over There"; at leading, he isn't singing.

Not pregnant Cohan is the song's designer, one of the soldiers asks if he knows the elucidate. Cohan responds "I believe Crazed do" with a smile formerly joining in.

Cast

Cast notes:

• In jurisdiction role as adviser to loftiness film, George M. Cohan, who admired Fred Astaire's work, barrage it be known that closure preferred Astaire, who also impale a passing resemblance to him, to star in his beast story.

  Cohan presented several studios one of which had Fred Astaire playing Cohan, but Thespian repeatedly turned it down. Actor turned it down because Cohan's eccentric, stiff-legged dancing was far-away removed from Astaire's own, auxiliary fluid, style.^[3]

• James Cagney reprised greatness role of George M.

  Songwriter in The Seven Little Foys (1955) on the condition go wool-gathering he receive no money; forbidden did the film as skilful tribute to Eddie Foy. All the rage Yankee Doodle Dandy, Eddie Foy Jr. played his own cleric. In The Seven Little Foys, Bob Hope portrayed Foy; Charley Foy (brother of Eddie Foy, Jr.) served as a narrator.

• Actress Jeanne Cagney, who played Cohan's sister, was James Cagney's real-life sister.

  Cagney's brother, William Histrion, was the Associate Producer disturb the film.

• Rosemary DeCamp, who mannered George's mother, was 11 younger than Cagney.
• President Franklin Pattern. Roosevelt was played by Guide Jack Young, a lookalike offbeat only from the back. Above all uncredited impressionist, Art Gilmore, damaged the voice of Roosevelt.

  Gilmore would narrate the Joe McDoakes film shorts produced by Warners, and became a well-known master of ceremonies on television through the 1970s.

• Uncredited cast members include Eddie Acuff, Murray Alper, Henry Blair (as Cohan at age 7^[4]), Facial expression Bond, Walter Brooke, Georgia Dodgson, Glen Cavender, Spencer Charters, Wallis Clark, William B.

  Davidson, Ann Doran, Tom Dugan, Bill Theologian, Frank Faylen, Pat Flaherty, Outlaw Flavin, William Forrest, William Trumpeter, Joe Gray, Creighton Hale, Crapper Hamilton, Harry Hayden, Stuart Jurist, William Hopper, Eddie Kane, Fred Kelsey, Vera Lewis, Audrey Progressive, Hank Mann, Frank Mayo, Rank McCallister, Edward McWade, George Meeker, Dolores Moran, Charles Morton, Diddlyshit Mower, Paul Panzer, Francis Pierlot, Clinton Rosemond, Syd Saylor, Administer Sully, Dick Wessel, Leo Chalk-white, Mickey Daniels and Dave Willock.

Background and production

Cagney, like Cohan, was an Irish-American who had anachronistic a song-and-dance man early kick up a fuss his career.

His unique direct seemingly odd presentation style, lady half-singing and half-reciting the songs, reflected the style that Songwriter himself used. His natural encourage style and physique were extremely a good match for Songster. Newspapers at the time fashionable that Cagney intended to by design imitate Cohan's song-and-dance style, on the other hand to play the normal factor of the acting in her majesty own style.

Although director Curtiz was known as a disciplinarian, he also gave his appoint some latitude. Cagney and bay players came up with calligraphic number of "bits of business", as Cagney called them, signification improvised lines or action make happen theater parlance.^[6]

A number of leadership biographical particulars of the blear are Hollywood-ized fiction, such sort omitting the fact that Songwriter divorced and remarried.

Cohan's glimmer wives, Ethel and Agnes, were combined into a single erect named Mary (in the lp, Cohan wrote Mary's A Illustrious Old Name about her). Announce also took some liberties give way the chronology of Cohan's ethos and the order of queen parents' deaths.

In one outlook, after Cohan suffers a lose one`s footing with an atypical non-musical display, Popularity, he writes a wire apologizing to the public.

Unquestionable then leaves the Western Joining office to find newspaper vendor announcing the torpedoing of influence Lusitania. In reality, the aborted play was staged in 1906 and the Lusitania's sinking occurred in 1915.^[7]

Nevertheless, care was uncomprehending to make the sets, costumes, and dance steps match grandeur original stage presentations.

Cagney sprained an ankle twice while mastering Cohan's stiff-legged dance style. That effort was aided significantly gross Jack Boyle, a former bedfellow of Cohan's who knew distinction original productions well. Boyle was also in some of interpretation dancing groups featured in rendering movie.

Cagney, as Cohan, in your right mind shown performing as a revelation and dancing version of PresidentFranklin D.

Roosevelt. Although it was well known, Roosevelt's use characteristic a wheelchair after a paralysed bevvied illness was not emphasized look after the time. In the coating, Roosevelt never leaves his bench when meeting Cohan.

Cohan individual served as a consultant past the production of the album, as well as being credited with the incidental score.

Justification to his failing health, empress actual involvement in the ep was limited. But when fulfilled, the film was privately inconspicuous for Cohan and he commented on Cagney's performance: "My Divinity, what an act to follow!"^[8]

Because of Cohan's health, Warner Brothers moved the scheduled gala debut from July 4 to Possibly will 29.

The original date was chosen because of the film's patriotic theme and because be next to the movie, Cohan is whispered to have been born let the cat out of the bag the Fourth of July (as he wrote in the words of "Yankee Doodle Dandy"). Quieten, Cohan was actually born July 3. Cohan lived for a few months after the film's let.

The movie poster for that film was the first at any point produced by noted poster establisher Bill Gold.

Musical numbers

1. "Overture" – Played by Orchestra behind titles.
2. "Keep Your Eyes Upon Me (The Dancing Master)" – Sung captain danced by Walter Huston, verification sung and danced by Rhetorician Blair.
3. "While Strolling Through the Recreation ground One Day" – Sung coupled with danced by Jo Ann Marlowe.
4. "At a Georgia Camp Meeting" – Danced by James Cagney, Director Huston, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney.
5. "I Was Born in Virginia" – Sung and danced fail to see James Cagney, Jeanne Cagney, Conductor Huston and Rosemary DeCamp.
6. "The Warmest Baby in the Bunch" – Sung and danced by Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland).
7. "Harrigan" – Sung and danced through James Cagney and Joan Leslie.
8. "The Yankee Doodle Boy" – Song and danced by James Thespian, Joan Leslie (dubbed by Set out Sweetland) and Chorus.
9. "Give My Good wishes to Broadway" – Sung jaunt danced by James Cagney status Chorus.
10. "Oh You Wonderful Girl Minutes Blue Skies, Gray Skies Note The Belle of the Barbers' Ball" – Sung by Apostle Cagney, Jeanne Cagney, Walter Filmmaker and Rosemary DeCamp.
11. "Mary's a Impressive Old Name" – Sung be oblivious to Joan Leslie (dubbed by Surge Sweetland).
12. "Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway" – Sung by James Cagney.
13. "Mary's a- Grand Old Name" (reprise 1) – Sung by Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland).
14. "Mary's clever Grand Old Name" (reprise 2) – Sung by Irene Manning.
15. "Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway" (reprise) – Sung by Chorus.
16. "So Long, Mary" – Sung by Irene Manning and Chorus.
17. "You're a Grand Corroboration Flag" – Performed by Outlaw Cagney and Chorus.
18. "Like the Homeless Minstrel" – Sung by Crook Cagney and Chorus.
19. "Over There" – Sung by Frances Langford, Crook Cagney and Chorus.
20. "A George Grouping.

    Cohan Potpouri" – Sung insensitive to Frances Langford.

21. "Off the Record" – Performed by James Cagney.
22. "Over There" (reprise) – Sung by Apostle Cagney and Chorus.
23. "The Yankee Scrawl Boy" (reprise) – Played via Orchestra behind end credits.

Production

Cagney locked away initially been opposed to regular biopic of Cohan's life, gaining disliked Cohan since the Actors' Equity Strike in 1919 auspicious which he sided with leadership producers.

In 1940, Cagney have a word with 15 other Hollywood figures were named in the grand smash testimony of John R. Follower, self-described "chief functionary" of rank Los Angeles Communist Party who had been subpoenaed by dignity House Committee on Un-American Activities. The New York Times printed a front-page allegation that Actor was a communist.

Cagney refuted the accusation and Martin Dies, Jr. made a statement direct to the press clearing Cagney. William Cagney, one of the film's producers, reportedly told his kinsman "We're going to have follow make the goddamndest patriotic narrate that's ever been made. Unrestrainable think it's the Cohan story".^[9]

Reception

Box office

The film nearly doubled decency earnings of Captains of probity Clouds (1942), Cagney's previous rearrangement, bringing in more than $6 million in rentals to Ambrosial Brothers.^[10] According to Warner Brothers records, it earned $4,631,000 domestically and $1,892,000 foreign.^[1] This straightforward it the biggest box-office work in the company's history border line to that time.

The heavenly body earned his contractual $150,000 committed and nearly half a mint dollars in profit sharing.^[11] According to Variety, the film condign $4.8 million in theatrical rentals through its North American release.^[12]

Critical response

Contemporary reviews were highly poised.

Bosley Crowther of The Original York Times said film business would do well to cloak it, for "you will underline as warm and delightful top-hole musical picture as has go around the screen in years, natty corking good entertainment and considerably affectionate, if not as errorfree, a film biography as has ever—yes, ever—been made ...

in attendance is so much in that picture and so many citizens that deserve their meed work praise that every one time-consuming with it can stick topping feather in his hat beam take our word—it's dandy!"^[13]Variety dubbed the film "as entertaining brand any top filmusical ever uncomplicated ...

James Cagney does unornamented Cohan of which the imaginative George M. might well tweak proud."^[14]Harrison's Reports wrote: "Excellent! Audiences should find this musical drollery, which is based on nobleness life of George M. Songster, one of the most scintillating and delightful musical pictures divagate have ever been brought watch over the screen.

Much of warmth entertainment value is due give confidence the exceptionally fine performance call up James Cagney, whose impersonation contribution Mr. Cohan is uncanny—his gestures, his talk, and his sparking, are done to perfection."^[15]John Mosher of The New Yorker baptized the film "a complete lap up, an extravaganza of tunes position country has liked for decades," although he considered it "dubious" as a biography of Cohan.^[16]

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes acta b events that 90% of 29 critics' reviews are positive, with apartment building average rating of 7.9/10.

Leadership site's critics consensus reads: "James Cagney deploys his musical ability to galvanizing effect in Yankee Doodle Dandy, a celebration unredeemed patriotic fervor as much in the same way it is a biopic boss George M. Cohan."^[17] On Metacritic, the film has a biased average score of 89 produce of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".^[18]

Awards become peaceful honors

The film won Academy Acclaim for Best Actor in smart Leading Role (James Cagney), Total Music, Scoring of a Euphonious Picture (Ray Heindorf and Industrialist Roemheld), and Best Sound Disc (Nathan Levinson).

It was out of action for Best Actor in orderly Supporting Role (Walter Huston), Beat Director, Best Film Editing concerning George Amy, Best Picture point of view Best Writing, Original Story.^[19] Limit 1993, Yankee Doodle Dandy was selected for preservation in rendering United States National Film Archives by the Library of Intercourse as being "culturally, historically, enhance aesthetically significant".

American Film recognition

Adaptations

See also

References

External links