Comedy thriller starring James Cagney. New York cinema usher Dan Quigley turns to crime after being sacked from his job. Later, desperate to start life afresh, he flees to Hollywood where he finds it difficult to leave his criminal past behind.
James Cagney's rat-a-tat delivery and the film's pell-mell propulsion make this a joyous Warner Bros sideswipe at Hollywood itself. Cagney is the cinema usher who graduates to gangsterdom, ending up as a film star writing fan letters to himself. He co-stars again with Mae Clarke from Public Enemy, only this time he pulls her out of bed by her hair instead of filling her face with grapefruit. The legend is that it's based on the rise and rise of George Raft, but who cares? It's the fast-paced action, and Cagney's mesmeric energy, which make this so worthwhile.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Dan Quigley | James Cagney |
| Duke | Leslie Fenton |
| Lois Underwood | Margaret Lindsay |
| Ramick | Henry O'Neill |
| Conroy | Willard Robertson |
| Jones | Douglas Cosgrove |
| Pete | Raymond Hatton |
| Smiley | Russell Hopton |
| Williams | William B Davidson |
| Myra Gale | Mae Clarke |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Roy Del Ruth |
