James Cagney: Top of the World

Name: James Cagney: Top of the World
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1992-07-05
Duration: 47 min
Rating: 7.4
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Casey Cagney Thomas, James Cagney

TV Movie
1992
47m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

208

YOUR RATING

Documentary

James Cagney was a song-and-dance man who loved animals, supported the underdog and was liked by everybody, but is remembered for his roles as a cold-blooded gangster.James Cagney was a song-and-dance man who loved animals, supported the underdog and was liked by everybody, but is remembered for his roles as a cold-blooded gangster.James Cagney was a song-and-dance man who loved animals, supported the underdog and was liked by everybody, but is remembered for his roles as a cold-blooded gangster.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

208

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Trivia
James Cagney mentions a poem he once wrote and sent to Humphrey Bogart, having spotted him in an indelicate position outside the Warner Bros studio: "In this silly town of ours / One sees our primps and poses / But movie stars in fancy cars / Shouldn't pick their famous noses."

Quotes
Herself - Actress: [Joan Leslie on Cagney's performance in "Yankee Doodle Dandy"] There was a scene that he did that was so remarkable. Everyone on the lot, I think, as affected by it. It was when he said goodbye, as it were, to his dying father... Mike Curtiz spoiled a take because of crying so loud he couldn't control it. The script girl cried so much that she blurred the ink on the notes on her script. It was quite a moment.

Connections
Features Sinners' Holiday (1930)

User reviews5

Review

Featured review

8/10

An original man

This wonderful documentary written by Bob Waldman, was presented recently on TCM. This biographical work is a magnificent way to be introduced to a man who was one of the most popular American actors of his generation.

James Cagney's life and work are examined for us by Mr. Waldman and the team behind this production. We get to know a bit more about the man, his personality, and his legacy. Mr. Cagney reigned supreme in the gangster movies of the 1930s, in which he projected a larger than life figure because of his charisma. The camera obviously loved this man, who was so versatile he could do anything, as proved by his many movies.

The choice of material by way of film clips give us an impression of the range of this actor. There are some Hollywood personalities that worked with James Cagney who tell different anecdotes of what Mr. Cagney was really like. Thus, the accounts given by Mae Clarke, Jack Lemmon, Virginia Mayo and Pat O'Brien illuminate on the character of the man.

The narration by Michael J. Fox serves the documentary well. "James Cagney, Top of the World" is required viewing for film fans that really appreciate movies.