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James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf, Irene Manning ... see more see more... , Jeanne Cagney , George Tobias , Rosemary De Camp , Frances Langford , George Barbier , S.Z. Sakall , Walter Catlett , Douglas Croft , Eddie Foy Jr. , Minor Watson , Chester Clute , Odette Myrtil , Patsy Lee Parsons , Eddie Acuff , Murray Alper , Vivian Austin , Leon Belasco , Henry Blair , Walter Brooke , Leslie Brooks , Georgia Carroll , Dick Chandlee , Spencer Charters , Wallis Clark , William B. Davidson , Ann Doran , Frank Faylen , Pat Flaherty , James Flavin , William Forrest , Creighton Hale , John Hamilton , Harry Hayden , William Hopper , Joyce Horne , Mari Jo James , Edward Keane , Fred Kelsey , Phyllis Kennedy , Audrey Long , Jo Ann Marlowe , Frank Mayo , Lon McCallister , George Meeker , Dolores Moran , Garry Owen , Francis Pierlot , Joyce Reynolds , Ruth Robinson , Clinton Rosemond , Sid Saylor , Charles Smith , Dick Wessel , Poppy Wilde , Joan Winfield , Jack Young , Michael Curtiz , Tom Dugan , Thomas E. Jackson , Sailor Vincent , Bill Edwards , Lee Murray , Dorothy Kelly , Pat O'Brien , Donald O'Connor , Treat Williams , Milos Forman

Yankee Doodle Dandy is no more the true-life story of George M. Cohan than The Jolson Story was the unvarnished truth about Al Jolson -- but who the heck cares? Dandy has song, dance, pathos, pageantr... read more read more...y, uproarious comedy, and, best of all, James Cagney at his Oscar-winning best. After several failed attempts to bring the life of legendary, flag-waving song-and-dance man Cohan to the screen, Warners scenarist Robert Buckner opted for the anecdotal approach, unifying the film's largely unrelated episodes with a flashback framework. Summoned to the White House by President Roosevelt, the aging Cohan is encouraged to relate the events leading up to this momentous occasion. He recalls his birth on the Fourth of July, 1878; his early years as a cocky child performer in his family's vaudeville act; his decision to go out as a "single"; his sealed-with-a-handshake partnership with writer/producer Sam Harris (Richard Whorf); his first Broadway success, 1903's Little Johnny Jones; his blissful marriage to winsome wife Mary (a fictional amalgam of Cohan's two wives, played by Joan Leslie -- who, incredibly, was only 17 at the time); his patriotic civilian activities during World War I, culminating with his writing of that conflict's unofficial anthem "Over There" (performed by Nora Bayes, as played by Frances Langford); the deaths of his sister, Josie (played by Cagney's real-life sister Jeanne), his mother, Nellie (Rosemary DeCamp), and his father, Jerry (Walter Huston); his abortive attempt to retire; and his triumphant return to Broadway in Rodgers & Hart's I'd Rather Be Right. His story told, Cohan is surprised -- and profoundly moved -- when FDR presents him with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the first such honor bestowed upon an entertainer. His eyes welling up with tears, Cohan expresses his gratitude by invoking his old vaudeville curtain speech: "My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you." Glossing over such unsavory moments in Cohan's life as his bitter opposition of the formation of Actor's Equity -- not to mention George M.'s intense hatred of FDR! -- Yankee Doodle Dandy offers the George M. Cohan that people in 1942 wanted to see (proof of the pudding was the film's five-million-dollar gross). And besides, the plot and its fabrications were secondary to those marvelous Cohan melodies -- "Give My Regards to Broadway," "Harrigan," "Mary," "You're a Grand Old Flag," "45 Minutes from Broadway," and the title tune -- performed with brio by Cagney (who modifies his own loose-limbed dancing style in order to imitate Cohan's inimitable stiff-legged technique) and the rest of the spirited cast. Beyond its leading players, movie buffs will have a ball spotting the myriad of familiar character actors parading before the screen: S.Z. Sakall, George Tobias, Walter Catlett, George Barbier, Eddie Foy Jr. (playing his own father), Frank Faylen, Minor Watson, Tom Dugan, John Hamilton, and on and on and on. In addition to Cagney, music directors Ray Heindorf and Heinz Roemheld also won Oscars for their efforts. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

82% liked it

7,563 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

23 critics

G, 2 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Release Date: June 6, 1942

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DVD Release Date: September 30, 2003

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Stats: 503 reviews

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James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy Yankee Doodle Dandy James Cagney & Joan Leslie in Yankee Doodle Dandy Yankee Doodle Dandy Caricature by Al Hirschfeld James Cagney & Joan Leslie in Yankee Doodle Dandy James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy Walter Huston & James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy Yankee Doodle Dandy Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy
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Flixster Reviews (503)

  • FireStormStudios
    March 31, 2011
    FireStormStudios
    This is a great musical. I love the old style musicals where the song and acting are separate. Sure, the song can tell a story, but this shows that the cast can dramatically act as well. It was a well done film all around with great music, acting, writing and inspiration. I h... read moread a lot of fun watching this one and if you like the old black and white films, this is one to watch.
  • erika250
    January 22, 2011
    erika250
    The music was the only thing good about this film.
  • FrizzDrop
    January 6, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    "My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you."

    An obvious propaganda film for the country during WWII, the elaborate and patriotic story of George M. Cohan was illustrated with several big numbers, memorable songs, and the quite surprisin... read moreg dancing of James Cagney, who is expressively known for his gangster pictures. A nice musical, and fluff filled biopic.
  • ajv2688
    October 13, 2010
    ajv2688
    Are you a fan of Cagney? Would you love to see him sing and dance? Then this movie is for you. If not, don't see this movie.
  • jjnxn
    June 14, 2009
    jjnxn
    Cagney won the oscar for this? Hokey, maudlin and saccharine by turns add into that the overlength and it a stuggle to get thorough. Of course the music is good as is Cagney too but he was far superior in many other films.
  • rubystevens
    July 3, 2008
    rubystevens
    i know it's corny but i love this film and if you haven't seen cagney dance you're in for a treat.
  • sanjurosamurai
    February 17, 2008
    sanjurosamurai
    this is a genuine musical masterpiece. one of the best films i have ever seen and certainly near the top of the great musicals, this film is a deep tale of patriotism and achievement. the film follows cohans life with perfect pace and a high level of engagement. we see the cha... read moreracter grow as a person and develop powerfully. there are striking similarities with citizen kane released a year earlier, but i actually enjoyed this film more than that one. cagney recieved a best actor oscar for his role and he deserved it in one of his many great performances. the music was perfect and well placed, striking out against the idea that a musical has to be mostly music. a great classic. "my mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and i thank you."
  • garyX
    June 19, 2007
    garyX
    Not really my kind of thing, but Cagney really throws his all into the part of all-singing all-dancing George M. Cohan. But I'll stick to his gangster films, thank you very much.
  • hypathio7
    October 18, 2007
    hypathio7
    That gangster James Cagney can sing and dance!! I enjoyed this biopic very much especially for Cagney's against type performance. He is very talented.
  • michaelneumann
    September 20, 2007
    michaelneumann
    Just filling in movie ratings, folks. A couple of James Cagneys and some airplane flicks. Wish I had more to say. What's up with that, anyway? Not having the energy for journals anymore? To speak freely like so many of us once did? The activity on these things has sharply decline... read mored on an aggregate level, I imagine, coinciding with the exodus of departing vets for lives of non-RTness. Are we collectively growing less bored with our age or perhaps more tired of each other? What happened to that urge to be that proud monolith in the crashing sea of internet noise? What hath killed the desire to be defiantly bored and ramble on and on and on and on and on in these (eventual) online epitaphs, all for the world's attention? Movies are to blame! There are some good ones, sure, but so few to really champion among our online brethren. Nothing seems capable of sending our blood to a boil anymore. Where have all the quality juggernauts gone? C'moooon, PJ! Let's rock The Hobbit! That'll lure 'em back to the yard! Just...a few more years of...quiet leaves scuttling on the porch, the gentle breeze of yellowing days our only measurement...

    And so it is autumn.

View All Yankee Doodle Dandy Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

You will find as warm and delightful a musical picture as has hit the screen in years, a corking good entertainment and as affectionate, if not as accurate, a film biography as has ever -- yes, ever -... Full Review

February 13, 2001
Variety

Yankee Doodle Dandy is rah-rah, no matter how you slice it. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The greatness of the film resides entirely in the Cagney performance. Full Review

Steve Crum
March 8, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Flag waving, toe tapping, GREAT James Cagney performance as Broadway's George M. Cohan.

Emanuel Levy
March 5, 2008
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

A big, old-fashioned rousing biopic of patriotic showman George M. Cohan, played with energy and gusto by Jimmy Cagney in his only Oscar-winning performance. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Raucous, vulgar, over long. Full Review

Mark Bourne
April 5, 2006
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com

It delivers its red-white-and-blue patriotism to you by the exuberant bushel, but this grand old film reminds us that there was a time when patriotism was more heartfelt than bullying and jingoistic. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
July 4, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

James Cagney played George M. Cohan with great vigor and won his only Oscar for that brilliant performance. Full Review

Michael E. Grost
May 28, 2005
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television

awfully dull and stodgy

Michael A. Smith
January 1, 2005
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Love that Cagney!

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Facts

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    • George M. Cohan: It seems it always happens. Whenever we get too high-hat and too sophisticated for flag-waving, some thug nation decides we're a push-over all ready to be blackjacked.
    • George M. Cohan: My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you.
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Yankee Doodle Dan... : Watch Free on TV

Yankee Doodle Dandy Trivia

  • For which musical did James Cagney win the best actor Oscar?  Answer »
  • Which actor in Yankee Doodle Dandy is heard to say quite often "My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you"?  Answer »
  • Name the movie from which this memorable quote comes... "My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you."  Answer »
  • Identify the film from this quote: "Oh, don't worry about the critics! You got a smash hit! It's in the air, kid! It's in the air! You can't stop anything that's in the air!"  Answer »
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