Product Description

James Cagney is a bundle of energy in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Broadway legend George M. Cohan, from his vaudeville days with his family to fame as the writer of "Over There," "Give My Regards to Broadway," and countless other classic songs. Rosemary DeCamp and Walter Huston co-star in one of Hollywood's liveliest and best-loved musicals. 125 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; audio commentary; documentaries; outtakes; bonus short "You, John Jones" (1943); bonus 1942 radio broadcast; cartoons; theatrical trailers. Two-disc set.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4211 in DVD
• Color: Black & White
• Brand: WEA
• Released on: 2003-09-30
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Special Edition, Subtitled
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
• Running time: 126 minutes

Features

• DVD
• 2-Disc Special Edition
• 4 X 3 FULL FRAME
• Digi-Pack
• Multi Disc
• Mono - English
• 2-Disc Special Edition

Amazon.com
James Cagney thrills in a rare (and limber) song-and-dance performance as composer-entertainer George M. Cohan. This nostalgic biography is told in flashbacks, covering Cohan's formative years becoming Broadway's brightest star and touching upon his loves, musicals, and artistic triumphs. Director Michael Curtiz (The Adventures of Robin Hood) offers Cagney ample opportunities to invent an utterly charming performance in what is practically a one-man show. If you've never seen Cagney as a hoofer, you're in for a treat: his dancing is as dynamic as anything else he's ever done on screen. --Tom Keogh

DVD features
Two 45-minute documentaries highlight the Yankee Doodle Dandy two-DVD set. Michael J. Fox hosts James Cagney: Top of the World, a 1992 biography of the film's star that incorporates a rare audio interview with footage and photos from his film and stage career. Let Freedom Sing! The Story of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a 2003 exploration of the film itself, including George M. Cohan's tight control over the project (he wanted Fred Astaire to play him) and profiles of the cast and crew (Joan Leslie, who played Cohan's wife, is interviewed and still looks lovely over 60 years later). Of course some material overlaps both documentaries, such as how a Communist accusation compelled Cagney to pursue this ultra-patriotic project, and how news of Pearl Harbor arrived during filming. Other significant features are historian Rudy Behlmer's trivia-laden commentary track and the nightmarish 1943 short "You, John Jones," in which Cagney is forced to envision his daughter (a pre-Meet Me in St. Louis Margaret O'Brien) suffering in wartime conditions around the world. The transfer isn't as eye-popping as on some of Warner's classics, but of course the chief reason to celebrate is that a great musical is finally available on DVD with plenty of interesting features. --David Horiuchi