Gangster films had run their course in Hollywood by the end of the 1930s. Not long after, the sub genre of the "Film Noir" would dominate the 1940s. From "Warner Bros," "The Roaring Twenties" is one of the best films from 1939. It has Cagney and Bogart together, some catchy tunes, very good action scenes, great direction and the dialogue is just right. James Cagney plays a veteran of the First World War who struggles to secure himself a job after returning home from Europe. By a sheer accident, he becomes innocently involved in bootlegging after prohibition is in place. He soon assembles an entire empire before the stock market crash takes effect. Cagney was at the peak of his popularity and had much more of a say in his choice of films at "Warner Bros." Bogart was still struggling to find stardom but his hard efforts were about to pay off and rather unexpectedly. As Eddie Bartlett, Cagney doesn't deliberately turn to a life of crime by becoming a gangster or a hoodlum, he just wanted to survive after he couldn't find a job. As a person, Eddie is rather likable and certainly more of a human being than Bogart. Gladys George does very well as the dame who gets Cagney involved with bootlegging in the first place. When times are lean for him, she sticks by him always. Frank McHugh is a welcome addition to the cast and I felt a bit sorry for him when fate came beckoning for him. I shall always enjoy this classic.
Review of The Roaring Twenties
