is this the main point of the movie? I've been wanting to see this forever, mainly in hope of seeing a showdown between 2 of the greatest actors/movie gangsters of all time. I understand that Pat O'Brien has a pivotal role in here, but do we get to see a lot of Cagney and Bogie trying to outdo each other? Thanks for any answers.
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At the time this movie was made, Cagney was the boss of the Warner Bros. lot. Bogart was a supporting actor who, although well known, hadn't hit it big yet.
This movie features one of Bogart's weakest roles, as a weasel-like attorney who attempts to double-cross Cagney. Bogart is good enough, but the role isn't much. Cagney of course is great, this is maybe his most famous role. The scenes between them are good, but maybe a little one sided.
A better teaming of Cagney and Bogart (at least in the sense that Bogart gets to make a stronger impression) is the last film they made together, "The Roaring Twenties". Bogart actually teamed better with Edward G. Robinson, some of their early teamings such as "Bullets or Ballots", "Brother Orchid" and especially "Kid Galahad" show both Bogart and Robinson in top gangster form.
to rclements:
How were Cagney and Bogart in "The Oklahoma Kid"? I had no idea that Cagney was in there until you mentioned it earlier. Weird to see the two of them in a Western. Is it any good?
And those other movies you mentioned, do any of them feature any Robinson vs. Bogie? Robinson was also another powerhouse gangster, his most notable role being Little Caesar. His sucess in mob films rivaled that of Cagney. Do Robinson and Bogart face off in any of these?
Me(wasted):http://community.webshots.com/photo/548285770/2950670240083152531RiOEiZ#
It was definitely weird having Cagney and Bogart in a Western. It's not bad, but nothing great. Westerns didn't get intretsting until later, this is standard stuff with a few shootouts, a barroom confrontation and some horse riding. But the two of them were so fundamentally miscast all credibility goes out the window. IMO, Bogart comes off better, as a standard black-hat villain. A young Cagney, great as he was, just doesn't work in a Western. When he was older in the mid 1950's he made two decent Westerns, "Run for Cover" and "Tribute to a Badman".
Bogart and Robinson were in five films - they face off in all five of them:
"Bullets or Ballots" (1936): Robinson's a detective, Bogart's a gangster
"Kid Galahad" (1937): both are boxing promoters/managers - Robinson's a good one, Bogart's a crooked one. Bogart is especially good in this movie.
"The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" (1938): Robinson's a criminologist studying criminal behaviors, Bogart a gangster who is bumped off by Robinson as part of his "experiments". OK, but the weakest of the collaborations.
"Brother Orchid" (1940): both are gangsters, but head guy Robinson wants to retire. He tries to come back and found Bogart has taken over the mob.
"Key Largo" (1948): the best and last time they worked together, Bogart is a good guy and Robinson is a cigar-chomping mob boss (he steals the film).
Unlike the Cagney/Bogart discord, Bogart and Robinson had great respect for eachother. I have an old book from about 1965 where Bogart is discussed in interviews by many who knew and worked with him, such as Pat O'Brien, Peter Lorre and Robinson. Robinson talked at length about the times they worked together.
By the way I saw all of these films when I lived in Ohio, on the late show on WUAB, channel 43 out of Cleveland. In those days in Cleveland there was 4 TV stations to choose from - CBS (ch. 8), NBC (ch. 3), ABC (ch. 10), and local independent WUAB. During the day WUAB ran re-runs like Hogan's Heroes, or McHale's Navy - after 9:00 p.m. it was like TCM. The good old days.
thanks a bunch Rclements. It seems like Bogie generally plays a bad guy, which is surprising.
I'm going to have to check all of those classic titles out.
P.S. Its a shame that Cagney and Robinson never appeared in a movie, a gangster movie much less, eh?
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Until 1941's "The Maltese Falcon", Bogart almost always played bad guys, nearly half his filmography. If you look at the films he appeared in from 1936 to 1941 the titles tell it all.
Cagney and Robinson did appear in one film together before Cagney became a star - "Smart Money" (1931). It's an odd film about two buddies who go their separate ways and then cross paths again. I saw it years ago but don't remember much more than that.
cagney and robinson appered in a movie back in 1931mcalled smart money
robinson character was called nick the barber verizelos
Great movie this. I just thought it was a shame that Bogart's role was so small. He had presence and charisma whenever we saw him, but had few lines to really work with.
Probably the best I've seen of Cagney though. The final scene with him was outstanding.
For some reason when I watched it when I was younger, I always thought Bogart was the other kid who managed to get away. Funnily enough young Jerry kid they played looked a bit like Bogart and I swear he had the similar lisp. Who knows. Though when you realise Jerry and Rocky meeting up again when they were older I guess its pretty obvious that it was Jerry and his comment on Rocky not being able to run as fast.
shareSmart Money is a pretty good (but seldom seen until recently) pre-Code picture. It's sort of a kinder, gentler, somewhat comedic, gangster film starring Robinson as a small town gambler who briefly makes it big as a big city gambler/gangster before the inevitable fall. Cagney, in a smaller role, is sort of Robinson's sidekick/assistant and has some great moments. His announcement via pantomime of a good looking girl waiting to see Robinson is priceless. Apparently, Cagney filmed this and The Public Enemy pretty much simultaneously.
shareFor some reason when I watched it when I was younger, I always thought Bogart was the other kid who managed to get away. Funnily enough young Jerry kid they played looked a bit like Bogart and I swear he had the similar lisp. Who knows. Though when you realise Jerry and Rocky meeting up again when they were older I guess its pretty obvious that it was Jerry and his comment on Rocky not being able to run as fast.