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Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 1

audience

82

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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 7,734

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Movie Info

Yankee Doodle Dandy is no more the true-life story of George M. Cohan than The Jolson Story was the unvarnished truth about Al Jolson -- but who the heck cares? Dandy has song, dance, pathos, pageantry, uproarious comedy, and, best of all, James Cagney at his Oscar-winning best. After several failed attempts to bring the life of legendary, flag-waving song-and-dance man Cohan to the screen, Warners scenarist Robert Buckner opted for the anecdotal approach, unifying the film's largely unrelated

Sep 30, 2003

MGM Home Entertainment

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All Critics (24) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (2) | DVD (13)

Raucous, vulgar, over long.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comments (5)
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

You will find as warm and delightful a musical picture as has hit the screen in years, a corking good entertainment and as affectionate, if not as accurate, a film biography as has ever -- yes, ever -- been made.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
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Yankee Doodle Dandy is rah-rah, no matter how you slice it.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
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The greatness of the film resides entirely in the Cagney performance.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Flag waving, toe tapping, GREAT James Cagney performance as Broadway's George M. Cohan.

March 8, 2008
Video-Reviewmaster.com

A big, old-fashioned rousing biopic of patriotic showman George M. Cohan, played with energy and gusto by Jimmy Cagney in his only Oscar-winning performance.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com
EmanuelLevy.Com

It delivers its red-white-and-blue patriotism to you by the exuberant bushel, but this grand old film reminds us that there was a time when patriotism was more heartfelt than bullying and jingoistic.

April 5, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com
DVDJournal.com

As a DVD, Warner Brothers' two-disc Special Edition stands up and salutes with a gorgeous print and transfer that make the black-and-white cinematography, by the masterful James Wong Howe, a thing of beauty all by itself.

April 5, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com
DVDJournal.com

As the title suggests, it's a flag-waving musical, but one that comes by its unabashed patriotism and show-biz affection honestly.

February 15, 2006
Reel.com

James Cagney played George M. Cohan with great vigor and won his only Oscar for that brilliant performance.

July 4, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

awfully dull and stodgy

May 28, 2005 | Comment (1)
Classic Film and Television

Love that Cagney!

January 1, 2005

The transfer of the film itself is pristine and the sound quality is first-rate.

October 12, 2003 Full Review
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

There's more to Yankee Doodle Dandy than a great performance by Cagney and a few great songs. There's a great story, too, and a great supporting cast.

October 6, 2003 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

Audience Reviews for Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy is a cliche packed, guilty pleasure, made sublime by the galvanic performance of James Cagney as song and dance man George M. Cohan. Directed by the capable Michael Curtiz, who could apparently direct anything, it also has gorgeous B & W cinematography from the great James Wong Howe and wonderful supporting performances by some great Warner Brothers contract players like Walter Huston, S.Z. Sakall (Carl from Casablanca) and Cagney's sister Jeanne playing his movie sister.

The main reason to see this is for the joyful musical numbers, in particular, the title song, Give My Regards to Broadway, and It's a Grand Ol' Flag. Cagney doesn't even try to sing but spits out the lyrics with bravado and hoofs so engagingly that you can't take your eyes off him. He's no Fred Astaire, but he has such a wonderful fluid style and such a compact, lithe athleticism that he's just as watchable. The overblown chorus numbers are crackling entertainment, but be warned that they are not even half of the film's running length, so you'd have to skip through your DVD menu to avoid the schmaltzy and often maudlin scenes, like the elder Cohan's deathbed scene, which I ate up for dinner, but are for old movie fans only.

Cohan comes off as arrogant and self-absorbed, but Cagney infuses him with humanity and warmth, so we can see why his family, friends and business associates might put up with him. I have no idea how accurate YDD is to reality, apparently Cohan was a nasty fellow who tried to bust the actor's union and had a savage cruel streak. Not here.

The drama such as it is, has all the essential show biz bio flick scenes: the early struggling years, the hero's comeuppance, huge success straining the personal relationships, and the decline when the hero is considered a relic of the past, culminating in a big unexpected comeback. The film is book ended by a visit when Cohan is summoned to the White House by Roosevelt, where he related his life story to the President, who seems to have a lot of time to listen (the two hour length of the movie) especially during WWII, where you'd think the man might have more pressing concerns. This is not at the top level of the great old musical bio flicks, but it's lots of fun. It's really not much without Cagney, and fortunately this film offers a heaping helping of him.
April 21, 2013
Josh Morris

Super Reviewer

This is a great musical. I love the old style musicals where the song and acting are separate. Sure, the song can tell a story, but this shows that the cast can dramatically act as well. It was a well done film all around with great music, acting, writing and inspiration. I had a lot of fun watching this one and if you like the old black and white films, this is one to watch.
March 31, 2011
FireStormStudios

Super Reviewer

    1. George M. Cohan: My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you.
    – Submitted by Dutch E (2 months ago)
    1. George M. Cohan: It seems it always happens. Whenever we get too high-hat and too sophisticated for flag-waving, some thug nation decides we're a push-over all ready to be blackjacked.
    – Submitted by rick b (13 months ago)
    1. George M. Cohan: My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you.
    – Submitted by Tyler C (2 years ago)

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