James Cagney Films of the 1930s

One of the biggest stars of the golden age of Hollywood, James Cagney appeared in more than 60 films throughout his career. Along the way, Cagney starred in such classics as White Heat; Mister Roberts; and One, Two, Three and received the Academy Award for his performance as George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). From his debut in Sinner's Holiday to one his many gangster portrayals in The Roaring Twenties, Cagney appeared in more than thirty films of the 1930s. Though he started out in supporting roles, he quickly became a leading man and by the end of the decade, he was a box office star. In The James Cagney Films of the 1930s, James Neibaur reviews the first decade of this actor's work. A film-by-film look at Cagney's movies during this pivotal period, this book traces the actor's transition from a song and dance man on stage to tough guy roles on screen, especially after the popularity of The Public Enemy (1931). Although Cagney occasionally was able to deviate from studio typecasting-in films like Footlight Parade (1933) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)-his most notable roles were in gangster dramas like Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). Focusing on the movies Cagney made in this decade, this book provides readers with plot summaries of each film, production details, and critical and commercial reception. For fans of the actor's work, The James Cagney Films of the 1930s is an invaluable resource that will also appeal to anyone interested in movie-making during one of Hollywood's greatest eras.