So much has been written about this film on this site that it seems a bit superfluous at this point to add more. But I just watched it again after many years and was once more impressed by the superior acting of both leads and the glorious soundtrack of 20s-30s songs.
Although some of the biographical aspects of Ruth Etting's life and career appear to be glossed over or absent, this film, nevertheless, has so much going for it: A strong (albeit, modified) story; great acting by all; and the best soundtrack of Doris Day's career (the album was #1 on the charts for months).
The scenes between Day and Cagney are electrifying and make the tension between them and the inevitable consequences of their fraught relationship totally convincing. In addition to these two superlative performers, Cameron Mitchell is a huge surprise in a major supporting part,in the kind of role one rarely saw him in. He's strong, appealing, and just right, as are Robert Keith, Harry Bellaver, and Tom Tully in the three other significant roles.
Though Cagney more than holds his own, this is Doris Day's film. Her performance is confident and complex, and she has never sounded better, singing an enormous range of period tunes, many of them standards, as well as a couple written for the film. She is absolutely mesmerizing in several of the numbers, particularly "It All Depends on You," where the camera focuses on her face for virtually the entire song, performed with only piano accompaniment.
See this film for Doris Day's singing, for a glimpse at the career (even if skewed) of a major but nearly forgotten star of another era (Ruth Etting),and for the dynamic pairing of Day and Cagney.
Although some of the biographical aspects of Ruth Etting's life and career appear to be glossed over or absent, this film, nevertheless, has so much going for it: A strong (albeit, modified) story; great acting by all; and the best soundtrack of Doris Day's career (the album was #1 on the charts for months).
The scenes between Day and Cagney are electrifying and make the tension between them and the inevitable consequences of their fraught relationship totally convincing. In addition to these two superlative performers, Cameron Mitchell is a huge surprise in a major supporting part,in the kind of role one rarely saw him in. He's strong, appealing, and just right, as are Robert Keith, Harry Bellaver, and Tom Tully in the three other significant roles.
Though Cagney more than holds his own, this is Doris Day's film. Her performance is confident and complex, and she has never sounded better, singing an enormous range of period tunes, many of them standards, as well as a couple written for the film. She is absolutely mesmerizing in several of the numbers, particularly "It All Depends on You," where the camera focuses on her face for virtually the entire song, performed with only piano accompaniment.
See this film for Doris Day's singing, for a glimpse at the career (even if skewed) of a major but nearly forgotten star of another era (Ruth Etting),and for the dynamic pairing of Day and Cagney.