Small time con artist Lefty Merrill has co-organized a crooked dance marathon and set up his girlfriend to win the prize money. When his partner disappears with money before the contest is o... Read allSmall time con artist Lefty Merrill has co-organized a crooked dance marathon and set up his girlfriend to win the prize money. When his partner disappears with money before the contest is over, he's forced to come up with a series of cons to help pay it back.Small time con artist Lefty Merrill has co-organized a crooked dance marathon and set up his girlfriend to win the prize money. When his partner disappears with money before the contest is over, he's forced to come up with a series of cons to help pay it back.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 wins total
- Boy on Pier
- (uncredited)
- Sound Man
- (uncredited)
- Col. H.D.X. Wells
- (uncredited)
- Federal Man #2
- (uncredited)
- Federal Man #1
- (uncredited)
- Dance Judge
- (uncredited)
- Ralph Blackman - Band Leader
- (uncredited)
- Dance Contestant
- (uncredited)
- Ed - Photographer
- (uncredited)
- District Attorney
- (uncredited)
- Mrs. Hawks
- (uncredited)
- Hotel Bellboy
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
It's like he's been put in a bottle, shaken then released like never ending champagne exploding into your face. Every word he says is like a firework and Mervyn LeRoy's dynamic direction fills every single second with energy and sheer happy, warm fun. You know that this is neither a classic nor clever picture but It's inexplicably entertaining and thoroughly engaging.
Mary Brian is the billed as the lead female she's a bit of a non-entity, the real co-star is Ruth Donnelly as his prospective mercenary mother-in-law. She gives Cagney a run for his money, firing back wisecracks as fast as John McEnroe. Rarely has she been allowed to shine as much as she does in this. She is genuinely funny and she and Cagney make a brilliant comedy double act.
Comedy can age really badly - even comedies from just a decade ago can seem cringingly creaky. Tastes in the early thirties were clearly different to today's but because this is neither too 'left-field' or overly subtle it is still funny. It's so professionally acted, expertly directed, deftly written and above all, so crazily fast that you don't notice that it's actually just a silly light comedy. When you're watching this you're as happy as a dog that's discovered it's been locked in a butcher's shop. Guaranteed enjoyment!
Ruth (Mary Brian) is in love with Cagney's character, but Ruth's gold-digging mother Lil (Ruth Donelly) wants to make sure Ruth marries money. When Cagney is doing well, Lil's all for him as a future son-in-law. When he's not, she's after a photographer - " a 25000 dollar a year man" - as she describes him. The girls dress alike and Lil is always referring to herself and her daughter as "we", as in "we love you" or "we can't marry a pauper like that". Cagney plays an advertising promoter whose ideas sometimes work and sometimes don't, but always to comic effect. This film is not on DVD or VHS, so chances are you've never heard of it. Another interesting tidbit - Ruth Donelly and Mary Brian are actually only about ten years apart in age, yet play mother and daughter pretty effectively. Highly recommended for the silliness of it all.
Here the Blondell role is split in two and Cagney deals with a mother/ daughter duo of Ruth Donnelly and Mary Brian. Like Blondell, Donnelly gives as good as she gets from Cagney.
Donnelly and Cagney were roughly the same age and Brian was about six years younger than Cagney. Ridiculous now when you think about Donnelly and Brian being mother and daughter. No film maker could get away with that casting now.
There's no real story to this film, Cagney moves from one con to another, skirting ever so close to illegality. Donnelly and Brian are alternately for and against him and not at the same time either at certain points.
It's a film that relies solely on the charm of Jimmy Cagney which is considerable. And it's the stuff Cagney was disputing with Jack Warner over.
His last con involved the marketing of grapefruit, from the man who made grapefruit tossing a national past time at breakfast/
Don't get me wrong he plays the script and follows his lines but as any actor has he has his own mannerisms and quirky ways.
This is the story of a con man who teams up with the usual blonde with one exception he gets the battleaxe mother too and she is exceptionally funny with it. Cagney laughs in every scene as he goes from one con to another. His energy is big, it's like he is dancing through this film.
The usual ups and downs, dumb blondes, twists and double crossings make this a short, energetic film a good one.
Overall funny film, fun and happy times.
Did you know
- TriviaMary Brian replaced Carole Lombard, who refused the role.
- GoofsAt the end of the dance marathon Lefty says that the prize money (10 $100 bills) is fresh from the US Mint. The US Mint produces coins. Paper money is produced by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.
- Quotes
Lefty Merrill: The world is like a cow, bellowing to be milked and if you're smart, you'll get yourself a bucket.
- ConnectionsReferences The Public Enemy (1931)
- SoundtracksM-O-T-H-E-R, a Word That Means the World To Me
(1915) (uncredited)
Music by Theodore Morse
Played at the dance marathon
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $189,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 1h 18m(78 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1