Customer Reviews

Great Guy (1937)

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(Please note that the DVD edition I am reviewing is the bare-bones Laserlight release that features the film and precious little else.)

GREAT GUY is a fun film. It's not especially complicated or insightful; it won't give you a new perception into the depths of the human experience. But for a film that barely lasts for over an hour, it's an entertaining chunk of action that's well worth viewing.

Since the running time of this film is only an hour and six minutes (the back of the DVD package incorrectly lists this as 75 minutes) one won't be surprised to find that this isn't a terribly demanding movie. But it's certainly engaging, and it's quite enjoyable to watch James Cagney as an official in the Office of Weights and Measures going around thumping people who don't perform up to their required specifications. The jokes all work and the action sequences are executed well.

The DVD isn't in great shape, though as this is a budget release one would suspect that this might be the case. The picture is a bit scratchy and there are numerous jumps and slight cuts in the action. The sound quality has similar flaws; several popping noises and other numerous audible distractions abound during the running of this DVD.

This is a fun film that's recommended to fans of James Cagney. It's a pleasant way to while away an hour of a Saturday afternoon if you find yourself with some time to kill. The Laserlight DVD itself contains a few flaws, so you may want to try to find a better version of the film.

Jimmy Cagney didn't always play fast-talking, two-fisted bad guys in the 1930s. In THE GREAT GUY Cagney plays a fast-talking, two-fisted good guy who, due to a suspicious accident to the Boss, finds himself temporarily in charge of the Bureau of Weight and Measures for what appears to be New York City. Although the Boss warns him to `keep your head on your shoulders and your fists in your pocket' (love the dialogue in this one) Cagney is too much the crusader to heed such reasonable advice. When not running down short-shifting green grocers and heavy-thumbed butchers Cagney sets his sights on a juicy, and dangerous, nest of corrupt politicos.

Cagney is engaged to pretty young Mae Clarke, who rather conveniently is secretary to a city leader, a benign philanthropist by day and, Cagney hunches, a graft raking extortionist by night. The easily digested plot hinges on how Clarke responds to Cagney's accusations against her employer. Although Cagney doesn't push a grapefruit in Clarke's face this time around, they do engage in a series of pre-nuptial lovers' spats that add a nice bit of texture to an otherwise pleasantly unambitious movie. THE GREAT GUY is the type of movie that invites us to ask, while practically insisting we not worry about, such things as - Will Cagney compromise his integrity, by easing up on the grafting philanthropist, to save his relationship with the winsome Clarke? Will Clarke ever realize what a truly great guy this pugnacious, temporary manager of the Bureau of Weights and Measures really is?

There's something winning about a movie that entertains without breaking much of a sweat. Even Cagney, who could be a live wire when working with important Grade-A material, is relatively subdued. The good cast and bouncy action - especially Cagney - trim THE GREAT GUY with enough interesting bits of business to make palatable - downright tasty, as a matter of fact - a plot that is overly familiar and predictable.

OK B-movie not on par with Cagneys WB movies,just average B-movie but Mae Clarke never looked better then she does in this movie

Great Guy, 1936 film

The film begins at an office in the city. Marty Cavanaugh talks to his boys about a man in a hospital. Joel Green was injured in a traffic accident. Johnny Cave visits him and it told who did it. Johnny is acting head of Weights and Measures. He is against the cheating of housewives who buy food. Or taking bribes to overlook infractions. [We see a grocery store from the 1930s, compare it to today's stores.] How much does that chicken weigh? [Note those prices.] Gas is sold by the gallon, not by cash. [Does this cheating go on today? You may read about it.] The office is open to 6pm. Marty Cavanaugh invites Johnny to join his political club. [Do they have these in your city?] Will he fix a summons? No. Will there be retaliation? Kidnapping in broad daylight? Will Johnny be framed for drunk driving and a hold-up? We see who this works, it was just a warning.

We see a furniture store and its prices. [No housing shortages.] Johnny gets a call from the Mayor, he is praised for a 53% increase in violations. Johnny is offered a better paying job as a Tax Commissioner for the Governor, but he refuses. We see how the Orphanage was swindled of supplies. Selecting a supplier can be lucrative. Johnny catches another short count. Then he learns about paying for a passport. Cave tells a reporter about Canning's swindling of an orphanage. [Remember when a big city had many competitive newspapers?] What if all the records of corruption can be made to disappear? What if the thief wants a lot more money? Without proof from the records can Johnny be accused of blackmail? Will his girl Janet reject him? Suspects can be arrested and held with no rights. Can Burton's place be searched without a warrant?

There is a formal party, many attend. Johnny too. Burton gets a check made out to `cash'. Will there be a problem? Johnny learns of the connection to Canning. He returns to Burton's apartment and finds Cavanaugh and Canning there. It looks bad for Johnny. But the police arrive in time to save Johnny and the records. There is action in the apartment. There will be a happy ending for Johnny and Janet. Can they live happily ever after?

This movie tells how petty corruption can cost the public a lot of money. It shows how costs for public institutions can be padded to provide graft for businesses and their friendly politicians. You will probably never find a dishonest politician without some wealthy businessmen behind him. This story tells about the small-fry, not the big fish who control and influence politicians.

If there's one thing Cagney knows how to do well, even when he's sober, it's throw a good punch. In "Great Guy" he plays chief pro-temp of the Bureau of Weights and Measures and tries to root-out the thugs who cheat people out of money by fixing their scales. He gets kicked around quite a bit but gives as good as he gets. In one scene he's completely tossed upside down in the air and slammed against the wall. It's hilarious but stunning at the same time. Throughout the film he's bribed, beaten and even framed--in a scene remarkably similar to his framing in "Each Dawn I Die." Even a little romance is thrown in for good measure with Mae Clarke whom he "grapefruited" in Public Enemy. I can't see this film being remotely interesting with any other actor than James Cagney. It's actors like him that bring such magnetism to the screen and make even the ordinary extraordinary. This film has a lot of laughs and knocking people about and the ending sequence has some of the best fight-staging I've ever seen. The actors are completely invested in it, I'm sure they didn't walk away from it without some bruising.

This is the first James Cagney film I have ever really watched. I was never interested in his movies before because I figured I wouldn't like anything in that style of cinema and because I've heard most Cagney films are the same. I have to say I really liked it. By today's standards for movies, it was not special, but I found it surprisingly entertaining. Cagney did not have the look of a tough guy but he played the part very well.

Jimmy Cagney, who was always more than a great guy --- he was terrific ---cleans up Gotham City, single-handed, except for a strange side-kick who is away with the little leprechauns most of the time. There seem to be two puzzles in this tale of civic virtue, however. First, Jimmy is pure as the driven snow. At the end of the story he presents his lady-love with a piece of ice a little smaller than the Ritz. He tells her he bought it on the never-never. Not long before committing this rash deed he had picked up, unseen by anyone, a cheque for 5G, made out to cash, signed by one of the evil politicians. How come we never saw this handy piece of paper turned in as exhibit A? The second puzzle is much more serious. Why would a great guy like this ever want to marry a dame like Mae Clarke? This character is presented to the audience as a bigger pain in the rear than permanent lumbago. Marriage must have been different in 1936.

Great Guy brings to the screen (as it should do) the reality of widespread corruption in the 1930's during FDR's New Deals. The movie does a good job of shedding light on that intriguing era and uncovers various plots and schemes that go all the way up to highest offices. Has much changed since then? No comment...
James Cagney and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least!
My only reservation is in relation to Johnny Cave's nickname, "Red." Whether it is referring to the color of his hair or whether to his political leanings remains a mystery, thought the latter would not be surprising considering that to rise in FDR's early administrations one usually had to be... "Reddish."
Apart from that, the plot, the setting, and the music are all very good.
Though not a masterpiece, it is indeed an interesting film that will provide for an evening's entertainment.