Cheap Blonde Crazy (Video) (Roy Del Ruth) Price

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Customer Reviews of Blonde Crazy

Cagney's charisma
This movie has it all: charm, wit, a clever plot, Joan Blondell in one of her best roles and the magnificent Jimmy Cagney who displays the full array of his talents. In 1931, Cagney was just beginning his rise as Warner's great gangster hero of the 30's, and his screen image hadn't quite yet been perfected. He's more funny here than he was later on, and the characteristic swagger and facial expressions aren't as much in evidence. You can see Jimmy working on his persona and it's pure pleasure to watch it in this film.

Cagney and Blondell play a couple of swindelers who scam anyone and everyone who comes down the pike. Though they are dual rip-off artists, you gotta love 'em, especially the wisecracking Cagney, who throws in one-liners which will convulse you. There's a lot of unintentional comedy which demonstrates that he and Joan possessed inherent comedic timing. Watch for the young Ray Milland, in one of his first screen roles of any note. He's as handsome as ever, but his acting ability certainly improved later on.

If you're new to Jimmy Cagney, this would be a fine first film to view, along with Pubic Enemy and The Roaring Twenties. His unique gifts as actor, dancer and public treasure are shown to their best advantage here. This is a fine early film with a wonderful performance by James Cagney.

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A RIPE AND RIBALD COMEDY.
Jimmy plays a bellhop who schemes to get his girlfriend Ann (Blondell) a job in the Hotel's linen room; entertaining complications ensue - such as Jimmy getting sent to prison!! Cagney plays a non-violent con man who lives by his wits instead of the muscle he flexed earlier in THE PUBLIC ENEMY. It's a simple story straight out of the days of Prohibition & the Great Depression, but told with such gusto by director Roy Del Ruth and acted with such verve by Cagney and the vivacious kewpie doll-like Blondell that the charm and banter delighted 1931 audiences (in search of escapism) and the hoi polloi flocked to see this new wise-cracking love team. The rapid fire delivery between Jimmy and 24 year-old Ray Milland drove director Del Ruth to distraction; he told them that they reminded him of "two (unprintable) woodpeckers" Del Ruth told the men to go over their lines and speak them as to be understood - Del Ruth claimed he could catch only one word in four!

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The Age of Chiselry
James Cagney and Joan Blondell star as a couple of scam artists who work out detailed schemes to get money out of innocent (and not-so-innocent) people. It's Cagney's idea (of course) to get into this, and Blondell goes along because she falls in love with him. Before long, they're swindling swindlers and getting mixed up with people even shadier than them. A lot of the film is lighthearted and played for laughs, although it does have its dramatic moments. The con games they are involved in are a lot of fun to watch unfold, and as a pre-Code film, there are some interesting scenes, dialogue, and innuendo. Cagney and Blondell are a great team together. His talents are, of course, legendary, but Blondell is not as well known to audiences today. She's terrific in the film, leveling wisecracks with the best of them, yet quietly effective in the more serious scenes. The movie moves along quickly with lots of snappy dialogue (it is a Warner Brothers film afterall), and the two stars make it memorable. Oh, and for the record - I don't think I've ever seen another film where so many people get slapped in the face!!