Blogging the AFI’s top 100 films of all time: #100, Yankee Doodle Dandy
Because somebody's got to do it...
That’s right, I’m blogging the AFI Top 100 American Films of All Time list, from 100 to 1. And I would have started a lot sooner had I been able to bring myself to actually watch the movie that occupies the #100 position. Why, oh why, did it have to be…
(Good Old Movie Reviews)
Yankee Doodle Dandy arrived in my mailbox a month ago. It took me a month to manufacture the desire to watch this film. And even then, mostly? I just got tired of gridlocking my Netflix queue.
James Cagney plays George M. Cohan, with an ‘A,’ people, not an ‘E.’ Because if they spelled it with an ‘E?’ Jewish! Whoa now, let’s not get carried away, this is a wholesome all-American family we’re talking about here, working their tuckuses off to make it in Vaudeville (nope, no Jews there!).
The film begins with Cagney being summoned by the President, F.D.R. himself, who Cagney’s been portraying in a popular Broadway musical (like You’re Welcome, America, but different). I guess, back in 1942, Americans loved nothing more than to wrap up in the flag and watch their “president” tap dance around and sing about his exploits. God, if only someone had done that when Clinton was if office! “Sometimes a cigar is… just a cigar… doo do dee de dah dah…” In the film’s first “oh how quaintly dated” moment, Cagney strolls right past two sleepy White House guards. He’s just gonna… walk right in. But these guards, the totality of our Capitol’s defense, snap to and cross their bayonets (their rifles have knives ’cause you never know when you might need to shoot somebody to get them off the end of your gun). “Halt!” they shout into his face.
But “Cohan’s” on the list, so he gets through, to be met at the White House door by a servile old black man. “Evenin’ mistuh Cohan,” he says. Now let me get this straight. The White House staff… is made up entirely… of a single elderly black man? Who probably doesn’t even know Krav Maga. There is no one else in the building! Apparently, in 1942, the answer was “laws yes.” He takes Cagney right up. “I was s’posed to be off duty this evenin’,” he says. What!? So, had Cagney not been coming, POTUS would have had no one at his door? National Security’s come a long way, baby. From the oval office booms a strangely wooden voice: “Well – helloooo – there – how – is – my – double? – har – har – har,” the President says. WTF – is – going – on – with – this – actor? Did – they – cast – the – robot – from – Disney – World’s – ‘Hall – of – Pres – i – dents?’
The chit-chat with POTUS is nothing but a flashback machine. We’re soon bedside at little Georgie’s birth. Interestingly, his pop is about 50 and his mom’s maybe 18. But hey, whatever works. The kid’s born on, what do ya know? The 4th of July! Say, what should we call the little patriot? “George Washington Cohan?” That certainly does have a nice ring to it. Good luck not getting your little ass handed to you every afternoon at school, kid. Ma Cohan likes George, but not Washington, so they go with “Michael” for the middle name. George Michael. Excellent choice. I see a career in show biz! And some other things.
Cut to: Blackface! Laws yes, nothing says “America” like a step-n-fetchit act starring a family of four white people.
Soon enough, little Georgie’s about 13 and the star of ‘Peck’s Bad Boy,’ a crazy Vaudeville stage circus that was, I’m sure, the basis for Home Alone. It’s a big hit, and young George knows he’s got talent. In fact, to quote Samantha from SATC, the kid’s a little asshole. Luckily, ‘Peck’s Bad Boy’ plays in Brooklyn, which is known “for its spirited audiences.” Which apparently means that all the kids in the audience will want to kick the crap out of the bad boy himself in the back alley after the show. This actually happens, but don’t worry – it’s a good thing! It knocks George’s ego down a peg. Today, in that Brooklyn alley, he would have just been stabbed to death. Peck’s Dead Boy.
Next thing you know George is James Cagney instead of a kid (though he’s supposed to be 18). In his family’s current production, he plays, with the help of “makeup,” father to his own mother (getting dangerously close to Chinatown territory). He’s pretty good too, and you know why? Because he was 43, ten years older than the woman playing his mother in this movie! But the point of all this is to make for one of those hilarious Three’s Company-esque (or Shakespearean, if that’s your thing) “misinformation” routines. A girl from Buffalo (read: Kansas) comes backstage to ask for this “elder’s” help. She thinks he’s ancient! What a geezer! She wants to get into the theater, you see, so badly, she’s willing to do almost anything… but since we’re in 1942, “anything” means, like, holding hands. “I know I’ve got talent,” she says, “even if I am from Buffalo,” which is one of the best lines of the movie and a great advertisement for Buffalo. The scene is actually fun because it gives Cagney his first opportunity to really show off his tap skills. While I’m no fan of spontaneous dance numbers, I gotta admit, the man could freaking tap! Mad skills, as the kids today say. And because it’s tough guy Cagney doing the dancing, and not, say, that pansy Fred Astaire, it’s some super macho hard-assed stompity stomp type stuff. All over the room. It works. And it helps him get the girl… I think.
I’m not sure if I sorta dozed off for a bit or what, but I guess Cagney and Mary (Miss Buffalo) start dating? He basically brings her into the business. Basically she just hangs around a lot. Doing dishes and such. I mean, this was the 40’s. People said hello before they ripped off suspenders and girdles. People had values then, American values! They ate their apple pies then; they didn’t hump them! Uncle Sam was watching. And people didn’t really date. If they liked each other, a man and a woman simply spent a lot of time in the same room until the point came when they were married. Then they slept in separate beds for a while. Then they died. Which is basically what happens here. Actually, when Cagney finally proposes, it’s pretty funny (if a proposal is what it was). If nothing else, it was a swell metaphor:
“Darling,” Cagney says, “how’d you like a lifetime of looking after me? (sounds, good, though usually people get paid for that, but keep talking) Leading lady, run of the play, maybe a few heartaches after the curtain goes up, but I can guarantee some laughs. How’s that sound?” Mary thinks it sounds great, though she’d like to be certain. “Can I see some of the script?” she says, and he plants one on her! No prowling tongues, mind you, just one of those smashed-face 40’s kisses that probably caused cold sores. For you kids out there, ‘the metaphor’ used to be one of the tools that old-timey Hollywood scribes would take out of the box now and then to try to sneak something naughty under the noses of the sensors.
The scene also contains Cohan’s confession that he, uh, gave away the song he wrote for Mary – it’s actually called ‘Mary’ – to a big star. Mary had been practicing that tune for weeks and was looking forward to belting it out on Broadway when she would, you know, play “Mary” because, oh I don’t know, she actually is Mary? Anyway, she couldn’t care less! What’s a long career on Broadway, success, stardom, and the enjoyment of doing work you love, when you could be married? She says it best herself, at the performance of ‘Mary,’ as the other woman (not Mary) sing her song (Mary). “She might have the song, but I’ve got the author.” All smiles! So satisfied! It’s also worth noting that Cohan, at the end of the scene, says, “I’ll take my coffee black tonight.” Yes sir. Right away sir. And how would you like your sex?
Some other stuff happens. I forget what. A lot of singing. Blar blar blar. Some dancing. Tappity tappity tap. The old folks retire, maybe die off. It’s sad. The sister gets married and shelves the career. And then, of course, there’s the patriotism. Boy is there the patriotism. At the end of the movie I felt like I’d been sexually abused by the flag. But I still don’t completely understand that damned title song. “Yankee Doodle went to London just to ride the ponies?” Okay. So Yankee Doodle’s a Jockey? I did not know that. But then, in the play, Yankee Doodle’s in London, right? And he’s accused of throwing the English Derby, called dishonest in public, and deported? Mm-kay… exactly how is that patriotic? Aside from, you know, ‘Screw England!’? Search me! And so I put the head of my grand old American public school education on the chopping block. Because I’m sure there’s someone out there who will inform me of what I missed when I was trying to figure out how to make my calculator say ‘boobless’ in the back of Mrs. Comstock’s class.
The movie comes full circle, of course, as all flashback machines must, with America winning the war, like totally kicking Germany’s ass, and Cagney’s denouement: “It seems it always happens, whenever we get too high-hat and too sophisticated for flag waving, some thug nation decides we’re a pushover, all ready to be blackjacked, and it isn’t long before we’re all looking up mighty anxiously to be sure the flag’s still waving over us.” So, you know, don’t get too damned comfy, lefty wimps! Then we’re back with POTUS. Cagney’s bored him to sleep with the life story. But the Pres. hands him the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sweet! Cohan is moved. America! “Where else in the world could a plain guy like me come in and talk things over with the head man?” he says. True enough; boot straps; gumption! Robot POTUS says, “Well – that’s – about – as – good – a – definition – of – America – as – any – I’ve – heard – does – not – compute.” Or something like that. Then Cohan’s out and tap-tap-tapping down the White House steps, much to the delight of now two old servile Negros.
The Final Judgement from the mighty ‘Closely Watched’ tower:
Top 100 of All Time? Really? Or somebody made a mistake? Somebody made a mistake.
See? Or Skip? There are a few very entertaining moments, thanks to Cagney’s magnetism, tappin’, and wit, but I’m afraid I’m gonna go with Skip. Sorry, mistuh Cohan. You were mighty fine, sho’nuff, but all them years ain’t been too kind to your movie.
Check back next week for my take on film #99, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
Very funny, Mr. Harvkey. Thanks for the giggles. Yep, lots has changed in the last 50 years or so. When I signed up with one of the DVD-by-mail outfits, the first thing I did was ask for “old” movies that I remember loving. As you have so hilariously described, boy was I surprised! One just can’t enjoy a movie filled with such off-handed racism and sexism — and then there are the child actors who were not protected and the animals that were allowed to be hurt or killed … Lots of changes indeed.
It’s pretty hard for me to believe that Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is just one spot better than what you described in Yankee Doodle Dandy. I look forward to each and every one that follows!
Thanks! And I have a good feeling that climbing down this list will provide quite a few chances to shake, or scratch, our heads.
In response to another comment. See in context »Mike, I’m really pumped about this list. I have wanted to go through the Top 100, but then I realized that there are some greats, and some Yankee Doodle Dandys. Looking forward to someone weeding through, and sharing thoughts.
Actually, Lewis, I’m not that surprised about GWCTD’s spot. I’ve always grown up hearing it dismissed as a didactic and dated – a feel-good sermon filled with liberal back-patting. I think it’s fallen in esteem over the decades. But I’ve never seen it, so I can’t say.
Bravo, Mike. I always thought it would be a good idea for someone to systematically go through the ‘canon’ and figure out what’s actually worth watching. And there’s hardly a more widely known canon than the AFI list. (Someone who has a hearty appetite for arthouse should do the same thing for the Criterion collection. Not it!)
I’ve recently done a mini-run of musicals on Netflixs to try to broaden my tastes, and to finally get all the references. I want to thank you for excusing me from watching Yankee Doodle Dandy. I could barely make it through Music Man, and I turned Guys and Dolls off after 15 minutes. My Fair Lady was good, though.
I feel sorry for you with some of these coming up, esp. Bringing Up Baby. That gave me a migraine when I was forced to watch in film school. And a giant WTF to Easy Rider being ahead of Goodfellas???
Hey, my pleasure (I think). There are lots of HUH? moments in the list, especially in 50-100! The AFI folks made some interesting film sandwiches. I think it’ll be interesting to talk juxtaposition later on, like Manchurian Candidate & Network, back to back. Cool. Fargo & Duck Soup, back to back. Should be fun.
In response to another comment. See in context »Joseph,
In response to another comment. See in context »I’ll give you that on Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. BUT… be careful about dismissing Easy Rider… the impact of that… with Nicholson and Hopper. I can vividly remember it all. But perhaps I’m just too damn old.
Lewis, Easy Rider is undoubtably a more ‘important’ and influential film than Goodfellas. I don’t Peter Biskind would’ve named half his book about the revolutionary 70’s filmmakers after it if that wasn’t the case. I still think Goodfellas is the better film overall,though. But AFI takes everything into account, judging by their “historical significance” and “cultural impact” criteria. Fair enough.
Mike, I guess you’re going by the original 98 list and not ‘07 reboot? Looks like Fargo was dropped in the new one – a travesty, since it might be my favorite film of the 90’s.
And Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was dropped, too, making our discussion about that movie moot…
In response to another comment. See in context »Yeah, I’m sticking with the original list. I saw that they dropped Fargo. Did they put any OTHER Coen brothers film on in its place? I also saw that they moved Ben Hur (another film I’m NOT looking forward to) from a much higher slot to, I think 100, which bumped YDD down a notch or two.
Did you guys see the recent incredibly negative review of Easy Rider in Time Out? I couldn’t believe it. The guy dismissed it entirely. And then some pretty pissed off people wrote in.
In response to another comment. See in context »I’m so happy you’re doing this and not Leonard Maltin.
So very happy.
That definitely makes two of us.
In response to another comment. See in context »Looking forward to each one, Michael, the good, the bad, and the ugly. What is the AFI’s criteria for their list?
Thank you! The AFI asked 1,500 film critics, their “blue ribbon panel,” to whittle away at a list of 400 American films, judging historical significance, awards, critical recognition, and overall popularity (based on box office and video/DVD sales and rentals). There are many interesting facts, like the fact that ‘Singing in the Rain,’ at #10, is the highest ranking film on the list that won no Academy Awards. And, the most represented filmmaker (with 5 movies)? I’ll let you guess that one…
In response to another comment. See in context »Mike, it sounds like you had your mind made up before the opening credits rolled.
I haven’t watched “Yankee oodle Dandy” in ages, but it has great sentimental value for me. It used to run on NYC’s WOR channel 9 on “Million Dollar Movie.” For one week they played it twice a night at 7 and 9 PM, and NINE TIMES each on Saturday and Sunday. My brother and I used to watch “YDD” marathons and could speak the lines along with the actors. I’d seen Cagney only as a bad guy till then. To watch him hoof around in that idiosynncratic style was an eye opener and will be to many viewers who’ve never seen this side of him.
Yes, “YDD” is cornball bio-puffery, but it’s a choice bit of Americana with unique charms. My advice is SEE IT.
I probably did. But I’m always willing to let the movie convince me otherwise. I like to paraphrase something I heard once on the subject of criticism: “Yeah well, that’s just, like, my opinion, man.” Seriously though, I understand that YDD had (has?) enormous contextual significance. And I think Cagney was really great. I, like you, had only seen him in tough guy roles, shoving grapefruits into the faces of his dates and such. I’m glad you can give the movie a shout out in this forum here. Some people are gonna like it. Some aren’t. Though I gotta say that that week you talk about, with YDD played 28 times in all? Are you certain that this occurred here in NYC, and not, say, Afghanistan?
In response to another comment. See in context »Mike, I have to disagree on this one. I’ve seen “Yankee Doodle Dandy” probably 20 times–it’s on TV every 4th of July. While much of it is long-winded and ludicrous, the whole movie is worth it just to watch Cagney dance!
And of course I assume the 100 is representative of the entire history of American film…not of current tastes.
20 times! Ouch! Haha. No, I hear you, Susan, and yes, the list represents the history. It will be interesting to watch, or rewatch, the Great Dictator, for instance, or Searchers, or Ben Hur! Ben Hur… oh boy…
In response to another comment. See in context »Well, The Great Dictator may be tough going on a small screen (or even a large screen TV). The other two should hold up. But I’ll wait until you watch ‘em!
In response to another comment. See in context »