100 Movie Challenge: #98 Yankee Doodle Dandy

Richard Mattox AFI 100 Movie Challenge, Films

B

Only three movies in and we’re already at our first movie musical!  As a huge fan of musicals, it is rare to find a one that I don’t appreciate.  Add one of the greatest film actors of all time in James Cagney and you get the 1942 classic Yankee Doodle Dandy.  So how could the 

Yankee Doodle Dandy 1942
Yankee Doodle Dandy 1942

cosmic combination only amount to a B rating?

As much as I hate to say it, the film’s downfall resides with its star, James Cagney.  One of the all-time greats, known primarily for founding the classic gangster archetype, Cagney plays the role of George M. Cohan, a lovable song-and-dance man.  Based on a true story, the film follows Cohan as he goes from blossoming child star to blacklisted prima donna to Americana stage icon.  Despite his infectious showmanship and superb dancing throughout the movie, Cagney’s performance falls short because he simply doesn’t sing!

The film is extremely reminiscent of classic non-integrated musicals (meaning musicals where the characters themselves are performers and, rather than breaking into spontaneous song, do all of their numbers on stage in front of an audience). It reminds one of some of the great Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers pictures (The Astaire-Rogers hallmark Swing Time is #90 on our list).  Yankee Doodle Dandy is lighthearted and captivating, but the element it lacks is Astaire’s light baritone.  Instead, Cagney, a big name not known for his singing voice, sort of speak-sings all of the tunes.  The lack of musicality from our main actor keeps the numbers, which are otherwise spectacular, from really taking off.

Now, it goes without saying that Cagney gives an otherwise compelling performance (he

George M. Cohan's Famous Stair Descent
George M. Cohan’s Famous Stair Descent

won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as George M. Cohan), and that his lack of musicality does not fully detract from what is otherwise a delightfully enjoyable picture.  The film is worth seeing if not for the dance numbers alone, where Cagney does demonstrate a remarkable amount of skill.

Despite my qualms, the enchanting nature of Yankee Doodle Dandy earns it a B, and the somewhat nostalgic sense of patriotism that permeates the film leads to a ranking of 7 on the Liberty Scale.  In my opinion, it’s the sort of movie you just can’t dislike.  Like me, you may not walk away considering your life permanently changed, but you likely won’t walk away regretting the two hours you invested in the life of George M. Cohan.

We’re moving right along.  Next is the science fiction masterpiece Blade Runner.

  • 100. Ben-Hur
  • 99. Toy Story
  • 98. Yankee Doodle Dandy
  • 97. Blade Runner

Do you disagree?  Do you feel worse-off for having invested time in Yankee Doodle Dandy?  Or did you find the film refreshing and nostalgic?  Were you a fan of Cagney’s speak-singing song style?  Let us know!

To see the rest of the list click here.

AFI James Cagney Rating: B Yankee Doodle Dandy

Richard Mattox

Richard Mattox is the head editor of Smash Cut Culture and a 2013 alumnus of the Taliesin Nexus Filmmakers Workshop and Internship program. Currently pursuing a Masters in Professional Writing (screenwriting emphasis) from USC, Mattox is an avid film-junkie, a singer-songwriter, and a die-hard Baltimore Orioles fan.

  • Edith

    Cagney is no singer, but he makes up for it with his stunning persona and unique dance-skills. I have seen the movie several times, and for some reason I have never paid attention to his (lack of) singing skills. Cagney’s energy and physical presence makes the movie both refreshing and a classic. Have you seen any other movies with Cagney?

    • Richard Mattox

      Edith- Yes! Several. Some of my favorites are “G Men” and “Love Me or Leave Me.” I suppose I would have just rather seen a Cagney gangster film on the list, but I certainly won’t disagree with you about his dancing. Some sequences rival Astaire himself and the numbers are delightful to watch. Also, I hope you won’t count me too foolish in calling it a “B” movie. As I mentioned in the introduction to the AFI segment, all of these films are undoubtedly A or A+ movies when compared to the rest of film history, and “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is no exception. It is truly delightful and I would certainly recommend it to anyone. Thanks for the input! Looking forward to hearing your opinion on future films as well!

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  • Matt Edwards

    I still can’t bring myself to watch this. I dislike musicals that I was exposed to after age 8. It’s only one of the few on the AFI I’ve never seen and probably never will.

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