Jimmy the Gent (film)

Infobox Film
name = Jimmy the Gent


caption = Original advertisement
director = Michael Curtiz
producer = Robert Lord
Hal B. Wallis
Jack L. Warner
writer = Ray Nazarro (story)
Laird Doyle (story)
Bertram Millhauser
starring = James Cagney
Bette Davis
Allen Jenkins
Alan Dinehart
music = Bernhard Kaun (uncredited)
cinematography =Ira H. Morgan
editing = Thomas Richards
distributor = Warner Bros.
released = March 17 1934
runtime = 67 minutes
language = English
budget =
country = USA
amg_id = 1:97192
imdb_id = 0025330

"Jimmy the Gent" is a 1934 American comedy-drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney and Bette Davis. The screenplay by Bertram Millhauser was based on "The Heir Chaser" by Ray Nazarro and Laird Doyle.

Prior to its release, the film was titled "Blondes and Bonds" and then "Heir Chaser". [ [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/title.jsp?stid=242 "Jimmy the Gent" at Turner Classic Movies] ] It was the first pairing of Cagney and Davis, who would reunite for "The Bride Came C.O.D." seven years later.

Plot

The farcical plot of the Warner Bros. release focuses on the unscrupulous Jimmy Corrigan (Cagney), who runs an agency that searches for heirs of those who have died without leaving a will and often provides phony claimants in order to collect his fee. When his former girlfriend Joan Martin (Davis), who left him to due his lack of ethics, accepts a position at the allegedly legitimate firm owned by Charles Wallingham (Alan Dinehart), Corrigan investigates Wallingham's background and discovers his rival is even more duplicitous than he is. He exposes him for the phony he is and promises to go straight if Joan will come back to him.

Cast

*James Cagney as Jimmy Corrigan
*Bette Davis as Joan Martin
*Allen Jenkins as Lou
*Alan Dinehart as Charles Wallingham
*Alice White as Mabel
*Arthur Hohl as Monty Barton
*Hobart Cavanaugh as Fake Worthingham
*Mayo Methot as Gladys Farrell

Critical reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Mordaunt Hall described the film as "a brisk, slangy piece of work in which Mr. Cagney is as much of a pepper-pot as ever . . . [he] tackles the barbed argot of his lines with speed and force . . . Bette Davis is attractive and capable as Joan." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9806EFDE173CE733A25755C2A9659C946594D6CF "New York Times" review] ]

"Variety" said, "Jimmy the Gent" . . . [is] expert, thorough-going, typically Cagney . . . and good for plenty of laughs." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117792152.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 "Variety" review] ]

References

External links

*tcmdb title|id=242|title=Jimmy the Gent