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Picture Snatcher

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1933's "Picture Snatcher" is one I've waited to come out on DVD for some time. It's about a gangster (James Cagney) who decides to go straight and become a photographer for a scandal sheet. The complication in the film is that Cagney's character is in love with the daughter of the cop that arrested him and sent him to prison. Dad isn't as convinced as his daughter that the ex-gangster has really changed. In the end, Cagney gets his exclusive photo of an execution - by breaking all of the rules of course - and he gets the girl. You would have figured as much, so I don't really think these are spoilers. The fun is watching how Cagney does these things. The film is fast paced and full of the energy that only Cagney could lend to such a role. Special features are:

Vintage theatrical trailer: I Loved A Woman

Classic WB short: Plane Crazy

WB cartoon: Wake Up The Gypsy In Me

This film is part of the larger volume 3 of the Warner Gangsters Boxed Set that is being released on the same day as this movie.

"Listen up. Jimmy Cagney here. I'm in this great flick where's I play a mug that's been in stir for 3 years and wants to go straight as a pitcher snappa. I go to work for my pal Ralph Bellamy, and we get drunk together and slap girls around. Dere's plenty of bullets and dere's even a dame who gets fried in the chair. Get off ya butt and see dis flick.

I'm tired of flappin my lips, so here's da real scoop from da perfesser."

While he is best known for his gangster roles, the majority of Jimmy Cagney's screen appearances were not as a gangster - he played an insurance salesman ("The Millionaire", 1931), en engineer ("Other Men's Women", 1931), a boxer ("Winner Take All", 1932), an auto racer ("The Crowd Roars", 1932), a Broadway producer ("Footlight Parade", 1933), etc. Indeed, Cagney often appeared in comedies (e.g., "Here Comes the Navy", "Hard to Handle", "Jimmy the Gent"), although it was his gangster films that earned the rally big bucks.

Here in 1933 off the success of his gangster films "Public Enemy" (`1931) and "Smart Money" (1931) Cagney plays an ex-con who goes straight as a cameraman for a local newspaper. His boss is his real life good friend Ralph Bellamy (1904-91) who plays a city editor with a drinking problem. Bellamy is best remembered for his role as the greedy stock manipulator from "Trading Places" (1983). He was nominated for an Emmy 3 times over a 30 year period, from 1953 ("United States Steel Hour") to 1983 ("The Winds of War") and was Oscar nominated for "The Awful Truth" (1937). He starred in the "Ellery Queen" mystery films (1940 -1) and gave us memorable performances in "The Professionals" (1966) and "Rosemary's Baby" (1968). I remember him best as Franklin Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello" (1960).

Cagney falls in love with a high school girl played by Patricia Ellis (1916-70). Ellis appeared in 8 films in 1933 and 7 in each of the successive 3 years. In 1939 she married rich and retired.

Her father is Cagney friend and fellow Irishman Robert Emmett O'Connor (1885-1962) best known for his role as Paddy Ryan in "Public Enemy".

Robert Barrat (1889-1970) plays the newspaper owner. He appeared in more than 100 films. He did 7 films with Cagney and appeared in such classics as "The Life of Emile Zola" (1937), "Captain Blood" (1935), "Union Pacific" (1939), and "They Were Expendable" (1945). He's best remembered for his role as Chingachgook in "Last of the Mohicans" (1939).

Look for Sterling Holloway (1905-92) in a brief role as a journalism student.

FWIW - the scene in which Cagney takes a photo of the execution of a woman was copied from a real event in 1928 when photographer Tom Howard snapped Ruth Snyder in the electric chair at Sing Sing.

The film is directed by Lloyd Bacon who directed more than 100 films between 1922 and 1954. He was part of the Warners production team that cranked out a half dozen films a year, most of them B films. Among his notable films were "The Singing Fool" (1928), "Knute Rockne All American" (1940) and "The Fighting Sullivans" (1944).

1933 was a good year for films. Box office hits were Mae West's "I'm no Angel" and "She Done Him Wrong", the star studded "Dinner at Eight", Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell in "42nd Street", "King Kong", and Garbo in "Queen Christina". The Oscar winners were "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (Actor), "Morning Glory" (Actress) and "Cavalcade" (Picture). Other notable films released that year included the Marx Brothers' "Duck Soup", Laurel and Hardy's classic "Sons of the Desert", and "The Invisible Man". Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made their film duo debut in "Flying Down to Rio". FWIW - 1933 was the year that Walt Disney referred to the gold statue as an "Oscar" when he won it for "The Three Little Pigs".

Cagney fans will love this film, and it's a pretty good example of pre Code early 30s gangster films, although the emphasis here is more on romance and comedy rather than bullets and blood.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents "PICTURE SNATCHER" (6 May 1933) (77 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- The film is a typical early '30s entertaining and fast-moving with some wild dialog and plenty of action and humor --- It's vintage Cagney: tough, cocky, funny and endearing --- The cast breaths so much personality into their character that they become individuals --- Though we know Cagney will prevail, we don't know just how he will succeed, and that is where the drama comes from --- Quick paced that you won't leave the room without hitting the stop button first.

Great acting, a good story, a happy ending, some jazzy theme music and those great cars of the 1930s -- What more could you want?

The great James Cagney is a joy to watch in the film --- He was a charismatic actor that left his mark of excellence on each and every film he appeared in.

Under the production staff of:

Lloyd Bacon [Director]

Daniel Ahern [Story]

Allen Rivkin [adaptation]

P.J. Wolfson [adaptation]

Ben Markson [dialogue]

Leo F. Forbstein [Conductor: Vitaphone Orchestra]

Ray Heindorf [Composer: title music]

Cliff Hess [Composer: stock music ]

Sol Polito [Cinematographer]

William Holmes [Film Editor]

BIOS:

1. Lloyd Bacon [aka: Lloyd Francis Bacon]

Date of Birth: 4 December 1889 - San Jose, California

Date of Death: 15 November 1955 - Burbank, California

2. James Cagney [aka: James Francis Cagney]

Date of Birth: 17 July 1899 - New York City, New York

Date of Death: 30 March 1986 - Stanfordville, New York

the cast includes:

James Cagney - Danny Kean

Ralph Bellamy - J.R. 'Al' McLean

Patricia Ellis - Patricia 'Pat' Nolan

Alice White - Allison

Ralf Harolde - Jerry the Mug

Robert Emmett O'Connor - Lieutenant Casey Nolan

Robert Barrat - Grover, Graphic News Owner

G. Pat Collins - Hennessy the Fireman

Arthur Vinton - John, the Head Keeper

Tom Wilson - Leo

Mr. Jim's Ratings:

Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars

Performance: 5 Stars

Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars

Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 77 min on DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (03/25/2008)

PICTURE SNATCHER is a pre-Code Cagney film about an ex-con who goes legit by working as a newspaper fotog. With bang-bang paced dialogue, bob-haired dames, hard-drinking mugs and elegant early '30s styles and autos, this one's a treat for Jimmy's fans and anyone interested in early Depression Era Vitaphone movies.

Cagney's first assignment is to photograph a fireman who came unglued when he answered a call and discovered his own home had burned with an unfaithful wife and her lover as part of the kindling. Jimmy enters the ruined building through a litter-strewn alley and pretends to be an insurance adjuster. While he makes a show of toting up losses, the distraught firefighter holds fast to a shotgun, watches warily and declares he'll shoot any man who tries to take his picture. Jimmy manages to sneak out a wedding portrait of the once happy couple; thus his new employer runs an exclusive photo on the front page.

In a later incident literally based on Ruth Snyder's 1928 Sing Sing electrocution, Cagney uses a miniature camera strapped to his ankle to photograph the event. (The actual image of Snyder at the moment electricity was applied is one of the most famous in journalistic history.)

Extras include commentary, a newsreel segment on 'Machine Gun' Kelly's capture, three movie trailers, a 1933 b&w Merrie Melodies cartoon and a two-reel musical from the same year.

Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll ratings.

(7.1) Picture Snatcher (1933) - Jimmy Cagney/Ralph Bellamy/Patricia Ellis/Alice White/Ralf Harolde (uncredited: Sterling Holloway/Milton Kibbee/Billy West/Hobart Cavanaugh/Gino Corrado/Charles Lane)

(5.4) Plane Crazy (1933) - Dorothy Lee/Arthur Havel/Morton Havel/Brook Allen/Catherine Field.

(6.3) Wake Up the Gypsy in Me (animated-1933) - Billy Bletcher

This was great! It's vintage James Cagney: tough, cocky, funny and endearing! The film is also typical early '30s: short, entertaining, fast-moving with some wild dialog and plenty of action and humor.

Imagine the outcry today if they showed the hero pushing women around as Cagney did here and in other films of the period. This particular story has Cagney playing "Danny Kean," an ex-con who quits his former mob and winds up at a tabloid newspaper as a member of the paparazzi! (I guess this story was ahead of it's time.) He does what he has to do get a picture for the paper, and a financial raise for his efforts.

Along the way are several very pretty women "Pat" and "Allison" (played respectively by Patricia Ellis and Alice White); a number of sexual innuendos (which wouldn't have made it in the picture had this been made a year later); and just a fun-filled corny 1930s ride.

Picture Snatcher has become one of this reviewer's favorites, biting into the lead once held by Each Dawn I Die. Cagney is in top form here, with lots of "goodies" as he called them (ad libs and improvs): particularly enjoyable was the bathtub scene, when lavendar-scented bath salts are poured in the water (also, note his voluminous freckles).

Ralph Bellamy is great as a supporting character and Patricia Ellis is the love interest, although Alice White does her best to form a love triangle between the two males. White is great as a woman drawn to Cagney's character like to high-grade catnip.

A great comedy/drama based on real life headlines of the time. Extras include a good commentary and the usual vintage cartoon or two and news reels.

Every now and then, a forgotten film surfaces and is as pungent today as it was when first released. "Picture Snatcher", released in 1933, is such a film. Starring magnetic James Cagney as an ex-con trying to go straight, the narrative traces his attempts to establish a career as paparrazi on a sleazy tabloid. He skirmishes with the police, trying to stay out of trouble. Part of the problem is he falls for the daughter of a policeman so complications arise. This is a film where everyone is on the make whether it be the alcoholic editor, Ralph Bellamy, the promiscuous journalist, Alice White, or the subtly ambitious heroine, Patricia Ellis. The film was made before the censorship was enforced in 1934 so there are some great one liners. Cagney leers at every woman, is ready with his fists and you can't take your eyes off him. The observations about the morality of the paper and Cagney's employment are as relevant today as they were in 1933. The film is very well directed by Lloyd Bacon.

The print is outstanding and the DVD contains Warner's Night at the Movies, that great combination of short film, trailers and cartoon etc prior to the main feature. The Vitaphone Musical Short stars an appealing Dorothy Lee and is surprisingly complex for such a minor item, even including overhead shots a la Busby Berkeley. The cartoon is a gem, full of close harmony and rich stereotypes. There is also a detailed commentary of the film, shared between 2 historians. They focus, and rightly so, on Cagney but their observations of the film itself are often remarks about what is obvious on screen.

This DVD is great value and even better if purchased as part of Warner's Gangster Set Volume 3.

What can I say, it's Cagney in the 30's. Fun movie for that time period. This dealer on Amazon had a very fair price for the dvd. Go onto other sites and even TCM.COM and you'll find the price a little 'higher'. It was a pleasure doin' business with this dealer.

I would HIGHLY recommend them for 'classic' movies, etc.

This fast paced precode comedy/drama stars James Cagney as an ex-con who "goes straight" with a job as a photographer for a two bit tabloid. Taking pictures of poor people at their lowest moments, Cagney hits the big time when he sneaks a photo of a murderess at the moment of her execution (a real life event fictionalized in this movie).

For years, Cagney's pre-1935 WB films, with few exceptions, went largely unseen. Ever since Turner Classic Movies made them available, I've seen all the early Cagneys and consider "Picture Snatcher" to be one of my three favorites (along with "Public Enemy"(1931) and "Taxi"(1932)). Fast paced and lean, the film whips along as the result of Cagney's firecracker performance. As WB always did at that time, the film gives the viewer a feeling of NYC in the early 1930s, like Ben Shahn photographs set to movement.

If you like Cagney, I can't recommend this enough.