Film Review
For his first independently produced production after his Houdini-like escape
from Warner Brothers, James Cagney teamed up with his brother William for
this homespun social drama, based on Louis Bromfield's novel
McLeod's
Folly. William Cagney produced some of his brother's most interesting
mid-career films, including
Blood on the Sun (1945),
The Time of Your Life
(1948) and
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
(1950).
Johnny Come Lately, the first William Cagney production,
boasts some strong performances but is badly let down by its mediocre script
and lacklustre direction.
Audiences used to James Cagney's iconic hard man gangster portrayals (
The Public Enemy,
Angels With Dirty Faces,
White Heat) will be surprised by
his genteel good guy persona in this film, although neither the script nor
the direction do the actor many favours. The creaking plot manages
to cram in its maximum quota of clichés and it often looks like director
William K. Howard can't quite work out whether the film is melodrama, action
film or farce. Indeed, one or two sequences appear to have been lifted
from a (bad) Keystone Kops movie. For a director of Howard's standing,
the film was something of a let down, falling way below the standard of his
earlier work on such films as
The Power and the Glory (1933) and
Fire
Over England (1937).
If
Johnny Come Lately has any entertainment value at all this is entirely
down to the enjoyable turns from the talented supporting cast. The
full-bodied contributions of such charismatic performers as Grace George
(her only major film role), Marjorie Main and Hattie McDaniel (a future Oscar
winner) come close to eclipsing the star presence of its lead actor.
Although James Cagney was immensely fond of this film, it is most definitely
not his finest hour.
© James Travers 2009
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Film Synopsis
In 1906, Vinnie McLeod is the ageing proprietor of a local newspaper in the
small American town of Plattsville. She also finds time to perform
small acts of charity, her good works including giving a helping hand to
passing vagrants. One day, she meets Tom Richards, a former newspaper
reporter who now prefers the life of the open road to that of an office.
To prevent Tom from being arrested for vagrancy, Mrs McLeod offers him the
job of editor on her newspaper. Moved by the old woman's kindness,
Tom accepts willingly, but soon discovers that the seemingly harmless dowager
is locked in a bitter and potentially explosive feud with the town's other
notable, a disreputable politician and businessman named Dougherty....
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.