"Picture Snatcher" is one of the early tough guy movies of James Cagney. But this one has him going straight after spending time in Sing Sing prison. The plot is interesting and provides a peek at the early newspaper competition in New York, including the "tabloid" press. Before the term became common language in English countries, paparazzi describes his character in this film. He would go to any length - and do anything, to get a photograph of a well-known person who was in the spotlight of the day.
This is a fair drama and crime film and the story keeps one interested. But it has the trademark violence that marked many of the crime films of the 1930s, most noticeably the rough handling of women. The IMDb bio entry on Cagney has a quote attributed to him already in 1931: "I'm sick of guns and beating up women. Movies should be entertaining, not bloodbaths." Yet, he would continue to make violent type of crime films, mostly through his first 10 years with Warner Brothers. Cagney did do other films, occasionally a musical and/or comedy. He was a multi-talented actor who could sing and dance.
In later years, he made the occasional tough-guy movie, but had films across the range of genres. He made war films, Westerns and action/adventure movies. Cagney's Oscar for best actor came for his great performance as George M. Cohan in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" of 1942. The hit biographical musical was nominated for Best Picture but lost out to "Mrs. Miniver."
This film is all Cagney as Danny Kean, but Ralph Bellamy has a very good meaty supporting part as McLean. Most of the rest of roles are small, but well done. Sterling Holloway plays a journalism student who visits Kean's paper with two other college students. He waxes poetic in the press room as Kean takes them on a tour. His line is quite good.
The movie gets one extra star from me for its historical depiction of the press. The newsroom is realistic, and the press room shows the physical plant of a letterpress newspaper, right down to the working Linotype operators and their craft. I'm an old former reporter, photographer, columnist and editor myself.
Here are some notable lines in the film.
Allison, played by Alice White, "For no particular reason, I think I'll take charge of you." Danny Kean, "You're the warden."
Journalism Student, "You know, Professor Stanley says that the things we'll see are the things in journalism not to do. Professor Stanley says that this newspaper is a filthy blot on the escutcheon of American writing."
Journalism Student, "In my opinion, modern journalism has descended to a deplorable level."
Grover, "If Danny gets the picture, it'll be the biggest scoop in the history of our paper." McLean, "Our what?"
Police Lt. Casey Nolan, "There's something in this town I wanna step on."
This is a fair drama and crime film and the story keeps one interested. But it has the trademark violence that marked many of the crime films of the 1930s, most noticeably the rough handling of women. The IMDb bio entry on Cagney has a quote attributed to him already in 1931: "I'm sick of guns and beating up women. Movies should be entertaining, not bloodbaths." Yet, he would continue to make violent type of crime films, mostly through his first 10 years with Warner Brothers. Cagney did do other films, occasionally a musical and/or comedy. He was a multi-talented actor who could sing and dance.
In later years, he made the occasional tough-guy movie, but had films across the range of genres. He made war films, Westerns and action/adventure movies. Cagney's Oscar for best actor came for his great performance as George M. Cohan in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" of 1942. The hit biographical musical was nominated for Best Picture but lost out to "Mrs. Miniver."
This film is all Cagney as Danny Kean, but Ralph Bellamy has a very good meaty supporting part as McLean. Most of the rest of roles are small, but well done. Sterling Holloway plays a journalism student who visits Kean's paper with two other college students. He waxes poetic in the press room as Kean takes them on a tour. His line is quite good.
The movie gets one extra star from me for its historical depiction of the press. The newsroom is realistic, and the press room shows the physical plant of a letterpress newspaper, right down to the working Linotype operators and their craft. I'm an old former reporter, photographer, columnist and editor myself.
Here are some notable lines in the film.
Allison, played by Alice White, "For no particular reason, I think I'll take charge of you." Danny Kean, "You're the warden."
Journalism Student, "You know, Professor Stanley says that the things we'll see are the things in journalism not to do. Professor Stanley says that this newspaper is a filthy blot on the escutcheon of American writing."
Journalism Student, "In my opinion, modern journalism has descended to a deplorable level."
Grover, "If Danny gets the picture, it'll be the biggest scoop in the history of our paper." McLean, "Our what?"
Police Lt. Casey Nolan, "There's something in this town I wanna step on."