Blood on the Sun may not rank with "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Mr Roberts," or "White Heat," as one of Cagney's best, but it is an entertaining war-time thriller. The film is set in Japan on the eve of Pearl Harbor. Cagney is a Newspaper editor who uncovers Japan's secret war plans. What follows is an atmospheric cloak and dagger thriller with a climatic showdown. The film has a B movie flavor, but Cagney's star power, the fast-paced setting, and the exotic, atmospheric locale make this 4 star fun.
The premise for "The Great Guy" may not sound to promising -- Cagney is an ex-prize fighter now busting cheapskates and chilsers as the deputy of the Bureau of Weights and Measures. But Cagney is a kinetic bundle of energy, capable of making even this pedestrian material entertaining. There's the usual two-fisted showdowns and crime-busing Cagney was famous for in his best films, which makes this film a 3 star addition to any Cagney fans video library.