90
The
Roaring Twenties
Release date 23rd October 1939
Country : USA
Running time : 104 mins
Genre : Thriller
Starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart
Screenplay by Mark Hellinger
Directed by Raoul Walsh
A Warner Brothers Picture
Ex GI Eddie Bartlett becomes involved
with the bootlegging business. One of his friends turns to law when
the business becomes too violent and amoral. The lawyer Lloyd
eventually goes after the old bootleggers and his life is threatened.
Eddie sets out to confront George the man responsible.
The most polished production and best of the gangster movies of the Thirties. The story was based on real life experiences and the use of newsreel techniques gives the film an immediacy. It sums up the Prohibition gangster movie adding to the atmosphere with appropriate music. Cagney delivers his best performance as Eddie Bartlett a character with depth not just an amoral thug but really a decent guy who gets involved in bootlegging almost by accident. Humphrey Bogart is a more villainous gangster who confronts Cagney in a pulsating finale. "He used to be a big shot ?" No Cagney still is in this classic.
The film was based on the life and career of real life bootlegger Larry Fay.
The character of Panama Smith played by Gladys George was partly based on nightclub hostess Texas Guinan.
Release date 23rd October 1939
Country : USA
Running time : 104 mins
Genre : Thriller
Starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart
Screenplay by Mark Hellinger
Directed by Raoul Walsh
A Warner Brothers Picture
The most polished production and best of the gangster movies of the Thirties. The story was based on real life experiences and the use of newsreel techniques gives the film an immediacy. It sums up the Prohibition gangster movie adding to the atmosphere with appropriate music. Cagney delivers his best performance as Eddie Bartlett a character with depth not just an amoral thug but really a decent guy who gets involved in bootlegging almost by accident. Humphrey Bogart is a more villainous gangster who confronts Cagney in a pulsating finale. "He used to be a big shot ?" No Cagney still is in this classic.
The film was based on the life and career of real life bootlegger Larry Fay.
The character of Panama Smith played by Gladys George was partly based on nightclub hostess Texas Guinan.
Digitally Obsessed
DVD Times
DVD Beaver
(Warner Gangsters Boxset)
91 89
Written content copyright Derek McLellan,2005.
Copyright © The Fedora Chronicles
The Roaring Twenties image from
http://www.filmsite.org/
