a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This is a simple, but cute, comedy about the O'Hara family, (a mother and her three sons) living together in a New York City apartment. The three live-at-home brothers are: a cop, Pat (Pat O'Brien), a fireman, Mike (Frank McHugh), and an unemployed fight promoter, Danny (James Cagney).Danny is currently promoting his latest discovery, 'Carbarn' (Allen Jenkins). The only problem—or greatest asset—with 'Carbarn' is that he springs into a fight every time he hears a bell ring. But for me, the most entertaining member of the family is Ma O'Hara wonderfully played by Mary Gordon. Pat is in love with the police captain's daughter, Lucille (Olivia de Havilland) and just assumes he is going to marry her. The problem is she doesn't love him that much.

Enjoyable comedy/drama from Warner Bros. with James Cagney and Pat O'Brien as Irish-American brothers who have a falling out when pretty Olivia de Havilland comes between them. I won't spoil the ending for you but, if you've seen even one Cagney/O'Brien movie before, you can probably guess who gets the girl. What makes this one work isn't the tired plot but the great cast, with longtime friends Cagney and O'Brien joined by their buddies Frank McHugh and a scene-stealing Allen Jenkins. All four of these guys are fun to watch and have a wonderful comedic chemistry with each other. Olivia de Havilland is lovely in one of her earliest roles. Mary Gordon is impossible to dislike as the saintly Ma O'Hara. It's a good movie of its type, lightweight mostly but serious in some parts. It's well-paced and the cast, as I said before, is excellent.

WELL NOW AFTER an opening like that, we wish to play Devil's Advocate today. What we are doing and the dissertation that follows are not the opinions of anyone employed by our writing staff (namely me). WELL WARNER BROTHERS Studios really had nerve and expressed some inner dislike for those of us who are descended from our ancestors from the "Emerald Isle." What we are referring to is their depictions of the Irish in America. We're referring, of course, to the likes of their pictures such as THE FIGHTING 69th, MY WILD IRISH ROSE and YANKEE DOODLE DANDY. BUT MOST OF all, we mean this THE IRISH IN US. How dare they portray a family of 3 grown-up brothers, all still living at home with their heavily brogue accented, widowed Mother (Mary Gordon). Next they put them in a blue collar, working man's neighborhood and in a tenement building yet!ADDING INSULT TO the already extremely injured reputation of the "Narrow Backs"*, the 3 sons are portrayed as Pat a NYPD Cop (Pat O'Brien), Mike a NYC Fireman (Frank McHugh) and Danny aspiring Prizefighter Manager (James Cagney). Why there's not a Brain Surgeon, a Rocket Scientist or even a Real Estate Agent among them!OKAY, THAT'S QUITE enough of our lampooning a "Politically Correct" reviewer. We hope that our extensive number of readers enjoyed it and we thank you for extending the opportunity to us this opportunity to "let it all hang out!"NOW AS FOR this Warners Pot Boiler from 1935, we found it to be as good an enjoyable comedy that it was when we saw it while in Junior High, circa 1958. It was one of those many Warner Brothers productions &cartoons that were packaged for television through Associated Artist Productions. Collectively they taught the Baby Boomer generation just who were Cagney, Bogart, O'Brien, Raft & Flynn were and what they meant to the audiences of the 1930's and '40's.THE MOVIE IS an excellent blend of several elements; but it still qualifies as being classified as a 'Comedy'; especially in the Classic sense. Although there are some serious moments here and there, the overall effect and tone are light and very enjoyable.AN ELEMENT THAT one wouldn't expect in an otherwise comic story is that of what has long been called "the Eternal Triangle." And this yet is between two brothers over one Lucielle Jackson! This was a portrayal by Miss Olivia de Haviland that was unusual; for she most often was a character of high upbringing and wealth even. her character was daughter of the Police Captain Jackson (J. Farrell Mac Donald).ANOTHER FEATURE INCORPORATED into the film is that of the work turned in by Allen Jenkins as "Car-Barn" the Boxer. He provides so much of the genuine screen laughs even though his part was that of a second banana funny man. So much of the comic business was done by Frank McHugh. BUT IT CAN be said that Mr. Jenkins really did have the "Last Laugh"; that coming in the final fade-out Knowing how to end a comedy is a most important skill. If not handled properly it can greatly diminish a film's effectiveness. WHILE THIS FILM is certainly not any that the American Film Institute will be honoring with an inclusion on one of their Top 100 lists, it is still worth viewing; as it does a fine job of showcasing early Cagney, de Havilland & O'Brien work.NOTE: * The term "Narrow Back" is slang used by native born Irish to describe one of us born here in the USA> (Origin unknown).

Though hard to find (it is not available on VHS or DVD), this film is worth catching at any hour Turner Classic Films decides to air it at. A cute cookie-cutter comedy at first glance, this film stars James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland, as well as lesser-known (today, not then) stars Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh (Father Tim in the Crosby classic "Going My Way").Cagney is the youngest (Danny) of three Irish brothers all living with their mother (played by Scotswoman Mary Gordon - look for Cagney's ad lib about the "wee bit of Scotch" coming out in her). Oldest brother Patrick brings home nice girl de Havilland, and Danny falls for her. The plot includes a boxing match, a Fireman's Ball, and plenty of New York Irish stereotypes. It adds up to a charming couple of hours, still in good condition and standing the test of time very well. Comedy that does that is worth waiting to see.Cagney's performance stands out, because he's so very much in character and immersed in the story, despite the reported shooting time of eighteen days. This was just another MGM product back in the day, and it'd be worth lobbying to get it out on DVD today for posterity.