Jimmy the Gent

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Steve D @RT35616104 Mar 4, 2024 A mixed bag but a fun one. See more acsdoug D @acsdoug May 23, 2023 Davis and Cagney are great stars, but there's no real chemistry between them here. Moreover, the story and the humor are pretty weak. See more Dec 9, 2018 What does it say about the Depression that films from this era so often had scenarios where one could get rich quick, and in some highly improbable way? Maybe itâ(TM)s like the lotto fantasy of todayâ(TM)s world of wealth disparity, and the more we see these types of schemes, the bigger underlying problem we have. Anyway. In this one, the premise is a pair of rival companies of â~genealogistsâ(TM) who take advantage of cases where a rich person dies suddenly and without a will, finding their heirs for a cut or producing phony ones. Rich people die without wills all the time right? James Cagney plays the leader of one of the firms, and Alan Dinehart the other. Bette Davis is Dinehartâ(TM)s main assistant, having worked for Cagney before and leaving him for a lack of ethics. He protests, saying that all businessmen are crooked, and that âthere's only two kinds of guys in business - those who get caught and those who don't!â? Itâ(TM)s a cynical view, but perhaps justified, especially in times when unchecked capitalism and corporate greed lets us down. Regardless, the two are an interesting contrast; Cagney is coarse and slaps his assistant (Allen Jenkins) around, whereas Dinehart is refined and serves proper English tea in the office. The premise is silly, but the way Cagney plays his con is clever. It involves a character played by Alice White and I was happy to see her, but itâ(TM)s unfortunate she was so ditzy. Bette Davis is sharp and engaging though, and more than makes up for this, and at the end of the day, there is more than enough charm in seeing her and Cagney in this minor film of theirs to make it interesting. See more ashley h @ashleyhobgood87 Sep 18, 2017 Jimmy the Gent is a decent film. It is about an unpolished racketeer, whose racket is finding heirs for unclaimed fortunes, affects the ethics and tea-drinking manners to win back the sweetheart. James Cagney and Bette Davis give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Michael Curtiz did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the humor and drama. See more Aug 28, 2017 Loved the snappy dialogue and all the 30's slang! Cagney and Davis were a delight. (And I didn't expect to like it.) See more May 17, 2014 Jimmy is incredibly charismatic in this making the rather preposterous story work. This was early in Bette's career and while flashes of her spark shine through she looks frightful in a rigid Jean Harlow hairdo and pencil thin brows. See more Read all reviews

Jimmy the Gent

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