The Roaring Twenties

Once again James Cagney excels as the tough guy embroiled in crime (though it's no secret he was starting to tire of this kind of role by this time), but there is at least one difference between his character in here (Eddie Bartlett) and his Tom Powers in The Public Enemy, Rocky Sullivan in Angels with Dirty Faces, and Cody Jarrett in White Heat. Unlike Powers, Sullivan and Jarrett, Bartlett did not really choose a life of crime to begin with, he's almost forced into it by unfortunate circumstances.Bartlett is a returning vet from World War I who is unable to find employment once he returns to the states. Sharing taxi duties with his roommate and with Prohibition in full force, he unwittingly ends up getting arrested on a bootlegging charge and taking the rap for nightclub owner Panama Smith (Gladys George), who was really distributing the booze. Once she bails him out she gets the ball rolling to help him out in the bootlegging business, thus starting him down the road to crime. He meets up with two former comrade-in-arms from the war, lawyer Lloyd Hart (Jeffrey Lynn) who becomes his legal eagle for a time and George Hally (Humphrey Bogart) an already established bootlegger himself. Bartlett's associations with both men will have unfortunate consequences, both on a personal and professional front.On the personal side, Bartlett falls head over heals in love with Jean Sherman (Priscilla Lane), a young woman who had written letters to him while he was fighting in France. Unfortunately she does not return his affections despite the fact he managed to find employment for her as a singer at Panama's nightclub and falls for straight arrow Lloyd instead.Bartlett's shaky partnership with Hally comes to a bitter end after Hally double crosses him to the very man Hally helped Bartlett screw over (how's that for irony?). However the crash of 1929 gives Hally the upper hand for a short time as Bartlett is forced to sell his business (the taxi cab 'company' he was using for a front for his bootlegging gigs) at a loss to Hally.Now down and out, Bartlett finds himself right back where he was before he went off to fight the war. After having lost everything he turns to the booze but a personal appeal from Jean to save Lloyd (they are now married and have a son at this point) from Hally (who now wants to kill Lloyd since Lloyd is ready to prosecute Hally for his past crimes) makes him pull himself together and (SPOILER ALERT) have one last confrontation with Hally, a confrontation to the death for both of them.Great movie, Cagney is great as always (even though as I said, he was sick of the gangster genre by this point), but so are Bogey, Lane, George and the rest of the supporting cast. If you love gangster movies, this is one that is definitely not to be missed.

Great movie if you're into classic gangster movies. Can't go wrong with James Cagney.

This is one of Cagney's best gangster movies. It seems to be unavaiable on streaming services or did in the USA, which is a shame. The did version I was able to get is Korean, which means having to turn off the Korean subtitles every time I watch it, but that's a small price for such a terrific film.

didn't do much for me as far as enjoying gangster films

Warner Bros looking into the recent past to bring to life the era of the bootlegger and the Tommy gun. Cagney as a bootlegger who makes it to the top only to fall. Bogie in his early career as the guy Cagney and Robinson got to kill. At that point in his career an exec at Warner Bros once said, "If you need a sniveling bastard, get Bogart." In a year that saw GONE WITH THE WIND, WIZARD OF OZ, DARK VICTORY, DODGE CITY, JUAREZ, STAGECOACH, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, GUNGA DIN, BEAU GEASTE, THE FOUR FEATHERS and on and on. ROARING TWENTIES is in good company. Like the western, the gangster film is something uniquely American -- a romanticized version of history.

A well written and well acted film. Cagney at his best and Bogie starting to feel his acting oats with his career about to take off.Would work even in a history class. This is not a story of evil vs. good but a grey area brought out by circumstances. It points out that fate is not always kind and no matter what decisions you make there are no guarantees, be they evil or good decisions.

This DVD doesn't work on my DVD player. How do I get a refund?

ROARING TWENTIES IS JUST AS GOOD NOW AS IT WAS WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT.

A bit of a puzzle. I actually ordered the solo "Roaring Twenties" with the colour cover as shown on the Amazon site. Instead I was sent the CAGNEY COLLECTION Pt 2 with "Roaring..." and FIGHTING 69th. Not complaining as bothare from Warner. This transfer is excellent as Warner product usually is. Superb B/W picture (4.3 ratio) good sound and good English subtitlesl. Extras include a commentary and trailer. The film is, of course, one of the, if not THE, classic gangster film (open discussion). Cagney, Bogart and Gladys George on top form with a terrific support cast. If you have never seen it do give it a go. They can't make em like this anymore. So thank goodness for DVD's. (I have not watched "Fighting 69th" yet)

Arguably the best gangster movie ever made and one of the best lines spoken by the wonderful Gladys George at the films end.This charts the rise and fall ,basically,of a bootlegger during this period.First rate performances from Cagney ,Bogart and the aforementioned Ms George(who really brings some pathos to scenes as Panama Smith).Jeffrey Lynn and Priscilla Lane ,the other main protaganists are,i'm afraid,the weaker set of characters here and slightly let the film down (other wise I would have given this film 5 stars)

James Cagney was surely born to make this movie. One of the best films about the unpopular prohibition period in America's history, Cagney displays all the acting attributes that made him famous, without ever referring to large unhealthy rodents. He makes and looses a fortune, doesn't get the girl, takes care of Bogart, saves his old friend before dying magnificently in a hail of bullets on the steps of a church.Need I say more?Excellent!

Quality film by a movie great

Superb