Taxi! (1932)Independent cab drivers struggling against a taxi company consortium find a leader in Matt Nolan. Director:Roy Del Ruth |
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Taxi! (1932)Independent cab drivers struggling against a taxi company consortium find a leader in Matt Nolan. Director:Roy Del Ruth |
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| Complete credited cast: | |||
| James Cagney | ... | ||
| Loretta Young | ... | ||
| George E. Stone | ... | ||
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Guy Kibbee | ... | |
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Leila Bennett | ... | |
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Dorothy Burgess | ... | |
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David Landau | ... | |
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Ray Cooke | ... | |
Amidst a backdrop of growing violence and intimidation, independent cab drivers struggling against a consolidated juggernaut rally around hot-tempered Matt Nolan. Nolan is determined to keep competition alive on the streets, even if it means losing the woman he loves. Written by Greg Helton <ghelton@airmail.net>
Matt Nolan (James Cagney) is a cab driver, but a group of new cabbies are trying to muscle into the area. They use intimidation and force when they feel it is necessary which tends to be sooner rather than later. Take Pop Riley (Guy Kibbee) for example. He'd been running the same route for years until the new gang came to town and decided they didn't want the competition. They totaled his car and got him sent to prison when he retaliated. His little girl Sue (Loretta Young) doesn't want to see anyone else suffer the same fate, so when she falls in love with Matt, she does her best to keep his temper under control. It isn't easy, especially when the opposing group starts harassing him.
Roy Del Ruth keeps the story exciting with the typical Warner Brother's format. Taxi! features a great cast, quick dialogue, fast action, and a short run time. Cagney is the true star of the movie; he can lay it on thick with the romantic scenes, pop out the cocky one-liners like no other, and even dance around like a pro. (We are treated to a preview of his talents; they would not be utilized in film until a few years later.) Young is absolutely beautiful, as she is in all of her pre-code movies, and her acting abilities hold up against Cagney's. Also notable are the sidekicks of the two leads: Leila Bennett and George E. Stone who play great backup.
This movie is definitely worth catching late night on TCM.