mark.waltz Keep an ear out for the ton of New York style double-talk in this pre-code comedy about a charming but sleazy private detective for estate inheritance and missing heirs, played by James Cagney. Rival agency secretary Bette Davis is in love with him, but after crying and taking dictation at the same time remains loyal to her employer (Alan Dinehart). The two agencies lay claim to an estate of an old female miser who died as a result of a poisoned cheese sandwich and left an estate of $200,000, with stocks, bonds and jewelry found on her corpse when she went to that great big bank vault in the sky, This fast-moving top bill of a "double feature" (at only 67 minutes) is a standard but speedy representation of what Warner Brothers was producing in the early-mid 1930's prior to the installation of that intrusive production code. Cagney and Davis both sparkle, although this is before she hit super-stardom and started collecting Oscar Nominationswith her own pair of bookends. Allen Jenkins is very funny as Cagney's dim-witted assistant, with Arthur Holh as the wanted murderer facing the electric chair who is first in line for the inheritance. Alice White and Mayo Methot as the two women of limited intelligence are utilized by Cagney in his scheme, and White's character in particular, is the dumb Dora of all time.The screenplay is filled with the most delightful sardonic dialog, with Cagney and Davis deliciously squabbling, making up, and starting all over again.

Michael_Elliott Jimmy the Gent (1934) ** (out of 4) A crooked businessman (James Cagney) pretends to go straight to win back his ex (Bette Davis). Considering the two leads and director Michael Curtiz, this was a major disappointment that really didn't work on any level. The only real reason to watch this is the performance from Cagney as well as his shaved head. Davis is very boring throughout and really brings down the film because she has no chemistry with Cagney.St. Louis Kid, The (1934) *** (out of 4) Exciting Warner Bros. "ripped from the headlines" film has James Cagney playing a truck driver who gets involved in a battle between farmers and the businessmen who aren't paying enough for milk. This is a fast, fun and action packed film, which is what audiences expected from a Cagney film. Cagney is very good in the role of the fast talking, quick to throw punches truck driver and the supporting cast helps him well.

MartinHafer Aesthetically speaking, this is a pretty average Jimmy Cagney film. It stars Cagney as the pretty typical fast-talking but likable schemer and Bette Davis in a rather forgettable role she probably detested. Miss Davis reportedly liked Cagney but longed for roles where she was more than just "the girlfriend". In this film she is slightly more, as she's bright and pretty assertive, but once again it was the type of role that would neither hurt nor help her career to get to the next level. She was quite good in the film, but indications of her future greatness just aren't all that obvious.However, despite the film's averageness and Miss Davis' limited character and the film only earning a 6, I actually enjoyed the film quite a bit. It's exactly the type of formulaic Warner Brothers film I enjoy and I try to see every Cagney, Pat O'Brien or Edward G. Robinson film of this era I can find because they are just a lot of fun to watch. Yes, they are rather predictable, but somehow Warner still made the characters likable and compelling. In this case, Cagney plays his typical guy skirting the edges of larceny in the form of a guy running a company that seeks out lost relatives to inherit fortunes. I also thought that juxtaposing this unsophisticated lout of a character with the classy charmer who is wooing Bette was an excellent move--particularly in how this played out in the end.A typical Cangey film with some very unusual plot elements and twists, this movie is just plain fun.

sideways8 I loved this amazing movie. I can't believe the amount of plot and dialogue weaved into 67 minutes by Cagney and Curtiz.Cagney just does not shut up, thankfully. He is brilliant. The idea that he was a shady geneologist who goes semi-straight and that Bette Davis was his foil was interesting. Lots of lauggh out loud scenes in this movie.