Now, THAT'S Entertainment!

I know, it's a preposterous setup, and how ridiculous that a guy would want for a father-in-law a cop who put six slugs in him. And, yeah, some dames get roughed up a bit. But, can't help it--Cagney steals the show (as usual), and every character just leaps off the screen. Breakneck is the right word for the pacing, and, as someone else pointed out, the pre-code sassiness and frank sexiness are almost shocking, considering the more prudish post-code films. But wouldn't it be great to see some real stars and great writing today--not stars with cookie-cutter looks, and not writing with lame too-explicit "jokes" and laden with cliches. Just great, witty, snappy entertainment. Super small role by Sterling Holloway! Interesting that there were some women students from "the university" with professional aspirations. Great insider's look at the (then) newspaper business, e.g., typesetting. For Busby Berkeley fans: In one scene between Danny (Cagney) and one of the molls, the background music is "I'm Young and Healthy," which Dick Powell sang in "42nd Street," made the same year (1933). Of course, Cagney also sang and hoofed it for Berkeley. Cagney, pugnacious, witty, and sexy--they really broke the mold!