Rating: 
Summary: This is a MUST Own
Review: There aren't too many movies that I'd say are pretty near perfect...but this is one of them! I've seen it a dozen times, and I'm always amazed at how the movie doesn't fail to hold your interest the entire time. It's rousing, it's stirring, it's high energy, all the time! I've not seen the colorized version, but the black and white is so appropriate to its time, I'm satisfied with the movie as it. As many reviewers have mentioned, James Cagney is so perfect in this role, you can't imagine anyone else in it! He always considered himself a song-and-dance man, though you wouldn't know it if you were a fan of his many gangster flicks. Fred Astaire turned down the role, if you believe the many stories. And, as much as I love Astaire, the film would have suffered for it. The manic energy Cagney displays in the highlight musical numbers just brings his role to perfection. If you are looking for a classic, never-to-be-topped movie about a songwriter, Broadway, great, rousing music, 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' is your film. VERY HIGHLY Recommended! One of the top films of all time. (The American Film Institute lists it at 100th place, but it should be moved up much higher!)
Rating:
Summary: Great!!!!
Review: This is a fantastic movie. I don't understand why it's not available on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Cagney at his Best!!
Review: This is one of those rare examples of a movie that would otherwise have been ho-hum if the leading man had been someone else, but is one of the best ever as is. I personally am not one for musicals, and patriotic songs are definitely not my thing, so you can imagine my reaction when I first saw this movie go by on the preview channel. However, I had never seen Cag at that point. So I was curious and switched it on--and have been hooked ever since. I knew that Cagney was famous for his gangster roles, and I am still amazed at his versatility as an actor. He is charming, talented and witty in this role as the famous George M. Cohan. And boy does he dance!! Sometimes, when I'm pressed for time, I just fast-foward to the tap scenes--it always blows me away! He dances as jauntily as he talks and walks, but does it with some sort of grace and carefree-ness. It always makes me happy. If only I could dance like him! Even his singing is good. Actually, it's kind of funny to listen to. He is evidently from the minimalist school of voice training--his attitude seems to be, "Who needs a tune?" So he speaks the words in a sing-songy kind of way. And he sings them all the same. My favorite line? Mary goes into the kitchen to get dinner, and George says, "Mmm...ham or bacon?" "Bacon," says Mary. "Good. Ham makes me self-conscious." I get such a kick out of it; I laughed like mad when I first caught it. I still have "Over There" stuck in my head. This afternoon I had "Harrigan." It's so weird how all those songs we learned in grammer school were written by one guy.
Rating:
Summary: Best of Everything:Acting, Music, Dancing, and Patriotism!!!
Review: This movie is a pure gem, and one that absolutely cannot be missed. My mother has always raved about this movie, and I had no idea what she meant until I actually saw it. Everyone knows the old saying, "Mother knows Best!!" James Cagney is flawless as George M. Cohan, a competitive and talented songwriter and dancer who was famous during the early 20th century. This is the story of his life, and a story that Cagney nailed down perfectly. This is his sensitive and fun side, not the dark and dangerous gangster everyone is used to seeing him as. He IS Cohan. His enthusiasm is heartfelt, and he is a true joy to watch. The songs in this movie are timeless, namely "Over There," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Mary," etc. Everyone in this production was great, including Joan Leslie as Mary. She was the perfect wife for Cagney, and the two made the cutest couple. There are so many emotional and memorable scenes in the movie. Some that come to mind are the first time George and Mary meet, in his dressing room. That is one of the funniest scenes of all time. If you've seen this movie, you know what I mean!! Another one, of course, is when George's father is dying and his little "thank you" speech. Who can forget the scenes in which Cohan's shows are displayed, Cagney doing wonderful renditions of "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Broadway/Herald Square," "Over There," and "Grand Ole Flag." This is really a film for all generations, and one in which parents and children can watch together, laughing, crying, and just enjoying great performances, wonderful music, phenomenal dancing, and the concept of family and loyalty. They don't make them any better than this!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: great plus some
Review: this thing is loaded. if you like cagney this is a must have.this has trailers from his movies. top of the world with michael j fox hosting. and many more. this movie has been done to the highest quality possible. it's great. I have 37 cagney films on vhs. and I just wish they would refinsh some more like this.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Musical
Review: With gloriously entertaining numbers and top notch direction. Among the best biopics of all time. A great, amazing, brilliant performance from Cagney; and excellent jobs from Walter Huston (Tresure of the Sierra Madre) and Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) who got help in the musical numbers by George M. Cohan himself. Watch for the marvellous performance from Cagney; but the musical numbers are great too. This is a good edition; Warner has been earning great merit in the DVD world lately.
Rating:
Summary: It's A Grand Old Movie
Review: YANKEE DOODLE DANDY is one of the great feel good movies of all time. The movie tells the story of the life of George M. Cohan as told by Cohan himself to Franklin Roosevelt. Though he is proud of himself and his accomplishments, we see in Cohan someone who had great success but also learned from his bumps, bruises, and mistakes. It is a Hollywood extravaganza. There are song and dance numbers, a large all star cast, and it is pure pleasure all the way. The factor that makes the film so special is James Cagney in the role of Cohan. Perhaps because he plays the bad guy so often, we are surprised to see him singing and dancing as a nice guy. Many believe that this role was his best and shows his versatility as an actor. I could not agree more. The movie has historic value. It was released in the early years of World War II, at a time when Americans were confident but unsure as to what would happen in the war. Movies such as YANKEE DOODLE DANDY stirred patriotism at such a critical moment in our history. This becomes especially clear when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor from Roosevelt at the end of the film. The two disc special addition has an added bonus of a disc about Cagney's life hosted by Michael J. Fox-an added bonus for old movie buffs.
Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY THE BEST MUSICAL ABOUT THE GENIUS GEORGE M.COHAN!!!!!
Review: YANKEE DOODLE DANDY IS THE BEST!GEORGE M.COHAN WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST .JAMES CAGNEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB IN THIS MOVIE.I OWN THE BLACK AND WHITE AND COLOR VERSIONS OF THIS VIDEO AND I AM GOING TO BUY THE DVD VERSION WHEN IT COMES OUT SEPTEMBER 30TH!I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Lots of Singing and Dancing
Review: YANKEE DOODLE DANDY was released just before the legendary George M. Cohan died from cancer. It was a patriotic movie made during the first year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. The movie was also a musical with lots of singing and dancing - especially by James Cagney. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY should be respected mostly for its music and dancing and not for its story which was about the life of Cohan. Nobody ever credited the film with much accuracy - including Cohan himself. Cagney considered his role as Cohan to be one of his favorites. It should have been since Cagney began his own show business career as a young hoofer in New York City. The supporting cast of Walter Huston, Joan Leslie, Irene Manning and Rosemary DeCamp was very strong. Cagney's sister Jeanne played the part of Josie Cohan and Frances Langford appeared as a singer. Eddie Foy Jr. made a brief showing as his own real life father, Eddie Foy. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY won Academy Awards for Best Actor (James Cagney), Scoring of a Musical Picture and Sound Recording. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Director (Michael Curtiz), Supporting Actor (Walter Huston), Original Story and Editing. The main competition for Oscars in 1942 came from MRS. MINIVER. Director Michael Curtiz won an Academy Award for CASABLANCA in 1943.
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