Yankee Doodle Dandy might just be the lamest title for a movie ever, which is a shame because the film itself is highly enjoyable. Following the life of song and dance man George Cohan, the film is a lot of fun featuring a lot of likable characters and some great musical numbers. At the center of the film is James Cagney who gives a great performance. He's extremely charismatic and likable and also sells some poignant dramatic moments. The film is very patriotic to the point of being borderline propaganda, but the tone makes so that it isn't an issue. The film works very well as escapist entertainment but I also feel it does a great job of showing George Cohan's legacy. It may not be a very profound film, but it is highly enjoyable. I'm surprised in fact by how much I liked it.

This film was made and released at a time when the U.S needed more patriotism and spirit at home, and Curtiz was probably the best to help bring this feeling to light. The plays Cohan puts on during the film can sometimes feel numerous and lengthy to the point where they bring the story to a halt. However, these plays are such a musical and visual splendor with the rest of the film being full of interesting, complex characters exhibiting palpable emotion that this can easily be overlooked and forgiven. The film definitely was used for propaganda at the time and this fact and the patriotic overtones in the film can't be ignored, but Curtiz does such a good job making this work for the film in a brilliant way it makes Yankee Doodle Dandy a memorable piece of Americana

I think I'm starting to develop something of a soft spot for musicals.

While not anything overly deep or noteworthy, Yankee Doodle Dandy still manages to be a consistently entertaining and fun film full of catchy and memorable musical numbers. And at the heart of it all is an endearing performance from James Cagney, who brings such a natural charm to George Cohan. Also, the film moves at a nice pace and doesn't have any excess baggage to weigh it down. Plus, the most important thing for any musical is how memorable the songs are. Well, I still have quite a few tunes from this film floating around in my head, most notably "Over There." While it's not anything great, Yankee Doodle Dandy is still a light, breezy and fun time -- exactly the things that a movie such as this should be.

James Cagney is ridiculously light on his feet for a man whose torso never moves.

This film was made and released at a time when the U.S needed more patriotism and spirit at home, and Curtiz was probably the best to help bring this feeling to light. The plays Cohan puts on during the film can sometimes feel numerous and lengthy to the point where they bring the story to a halt. However, these plays are such a musical and visual splendor with the rest of the film being full of interesting, complex characters exhibiting palpable emotion that this can easily be overlooked and forgiven. The film definitely was used for propaganda at the time and this fact and the patriotic overtones in the film can't be ignored, but Curtiz does such a good job making this work for the film in a brilliant way it makes Yankee Doodle Dandy a memorable piece of Americana

Yankee Doodle Dandy might just be the lamest title for a movie ever, which is a shame because the film itself is highly enjoyable. Following the life of song and dance man George Cohan, the film is a lot of fun featuring a lot of likable characters and some great musical numbers. At the center of the film is James Cagney who gives a great performance. He's extremely charismatic and likable and also sells some poignant dramatic moments. The film is very patriotic to the point of being borderline propaganda, but the tone makes so that it isn't an issue. The film works very well as escapist entertainment but I also feel it does a great job of showing George Cohan's legacy. It may not be a very profound film, but it is highly enjoyable. I'm surprised in fact by how much I liked it.

This film was a real treat. I normally don't like sentimental, over-the-top patriotic films. It is not that I am not patriotic; it is just that I don't like to be hit over the head with it. But this movie was different. I could be that the songs are such fantastically lively tunes that I could not help tapping my feet along with the music. The songs are rightly classic American tunes. The have so much personal and national history with them, that they are hard to ignore.
The greatest pleasure of the film is James Cagney. He goes petal-to-the metal with his performance. He is so energetically invested in every scene, that you can't help but be carried along with him. He fully indwells this character, and brings him to glorious life on the screen. This is truly his movie.

Maybe it's because I was reading extensively about the Guantanamo hunger strikes in the hours before watching this yesterday, but all this patriotism really does ring hollow for me at the moment. A waste of Cagney's talents too (he's phenomenal), and I for one don't lament Hollywood's abandonment of the "musical biopic." It's affable enough, and handsomely shot, but even on a day its flag-waving doesn't bother me, it still has little real effect on me emotionally. I can see how it would be an immense comfort during wartime, but I prefer 'Mrs. Miniver' or, hell, 'Education for Death' if I want to revisit Hollywood as propaganda machine.

Perhaps one of the best biopics, Cagney's depiction of the quintessential American songwriter George M. Cohan is one of the all-around most moving and entertaining odes in film history. Cagney may have never been better.

Musicals (outside of Singin' in the Rain) and jingoism (outside of satire) are two easy ways to make a good movie bad. Yankee Doodle Dandy is a film about both. Some of the music is very good, though.

I think I'm starting to develop something of a soft spot for musicals.

While not anything overly deep or noteworthy, Yankee Doodle Dandy still manages to be a consistently entertaining and fun film full of catchy and memorable musical numbers. And at the heart of it all is an endearing performance from James Cagney, who brings such a natural charm to George Cohan. Also, the film moves at a nice pace and doesn't have any excess baggage to weigh it down. Plus, the most important thing for any musical is how memorable the songs are. Well, I still have quite a few tunes from this film floating around in my head, most notably "Over There." While it's not anything great, Yankee Doodle Dandy is still a light, breezy and fun time -- exactly the things that a movie such as this should be.

Why It’s Essential — Cagney’s performance as George M. Cohan, the “man who owned Broadway.”

Why You’ll Want to Skip It — Everything else is average, at best.

James Cagney is ridiculously light on his feet for a man whose torso never moves.