James Cagney commands the screen in this epic biopic of musical legend George M. Cohan, who clawed his way from a family vaudeville act to Tin Pan Alley and, eventually, soaring success on Broadway.
James Cagney stepped into the shoes of legendary showman George M. Cohan and danced off with a Best Actor Oscar. The film chronicles the life of the life of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer and singer, from his early days in vaudeville to his Broadway success. A masterclass in the Hollywood musical genre, Cagney brings the intensity usually reserved for his tougher characters to a performance built around pure joy. [126 min; biography, drama, family; English]
“Yankee Doodle Dandy harks back to the golden days of cinema and is exceptional even among Hollywood’s greatest musicals." — Ian Kane, Epoch Times
"There may be no American movie more patriotic than Yankee Doodle Dandy, a jingoistic biopic of famed Broadway star George M. Cohan that transcends its innumerable genre clichés through the sheer willpower of its star." — Nick Schager, The A.V. Club
"No one, with the possible exception of Bruce Lee, conveyed as much onscreen energy as Jimmy Cagney, and this musical biopic of George M. Cohan has that in spades, culminating in a dance down the White House stairs that is unforgettable." — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
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