Jimmy the Gent
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Written by Bertram Millhauser from a play by Laird Doyle and Ray Nazarro
1934/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing/FilmStruck
[box] ‘Jimmy’ Corrigan: Sit down boys. Everybody sit down. Boys, have a seat. Now look, in the first place you got to get it out of your head that this is a racket. This is a respectable, high-class, A-Number One, business. And you boys got a chance to make some real dough. Only, you gotta watch yourself to keep outta jail. See?[/box]
With Michael Curtiz, James Cagney, and Bette Davis on the marquee you can’t really miss.
Tough guy Jimmy Corrigan (Cagney) is in the business of locating missing heirs of unclaimed estates. He is not over scrupulous on whether the heirs he locates are actually relatives of the deceased. That is until the day that “gentleman” Charles Wallingham lures Jimmy’s sweetie and second in command Joan Martin away from him. Jimmy then comically decides to outdo her boss in the posh department while at the same time denying him a mega-bucks score. With Allen Jenkins as one of Jimmy’s henchmen.
This doesn’t make a huge impression but is thoroughly entertaining throughout its running time. Cagney and Davis have good chemistry, though unfortunately she is still struggling to do her best in “pretty blonde” mode.
