I'm not sure that "These Wilder Years" is the best title that this film could have come up with; Cagney's reputation as a movie gangster might have hinted at something a bit more daring. However the picture features a well thought out story line and engages the viewer right from the start with Steve Bradford's (Cagney) resolve to find the son he gave up twenty years earlier when all he had on his mind was building a business empire. He hits a brick wall in the person of Ann Dempster (Barbara Stanwyck), proprietor of 'The Haven', and someone who will not surrender her principles or the rule of adoption law against Bradford's millions. A sub plot involving Cagney's character and a teenage unwed mother (Betty Lou Keim) adds an element of human tenderness to what could have been just another courtroom drama showdown.
Oddly, that potential showdown was hinted at when Bradford's corporate attorney Rayburn (Walter Pidgeon) advised his client against the national publicity that would arise from the case because of Bradford's prominence as a steel tycoon. All the while I was expecting the kind of fanfare from "Miracle on 34th Street", but guess what? - there wasn't a reporter or even a spectator in sight. That seemed a bit of a disconnect following Rayburn's buildup, but not entirely unwelcome. I actually liked the lawyer's perspective in his handling of the case, as if he were in tune to the humanity of the opposition along with his own. Can you imagine that?
Of course the teary eyed moment comes when the viewer realizes a few moments before Bradford himself that he's about to meet his own son. Somehow you knew Miss Dempster would see to it that Bradford's persistence would have a resolution, the payoff was in the manner in which it was presented. Neither played for melodrama or hysterics, one could feel Bradford's loss when the two parted ways with a handshake.
The movie is a nice counter point to Cagney's more traditional roles, particularly since the star, who's almost always on screen, doesn't dominate his scenes with his celebrity or performance. It's a somewhat offbeat role for one of cinema's greatest actors, and one that deserves a viewing for both his performance and the story it tells.
Oddly, that potential showdown was hinted at when Bradford's corporate attorney Rayburn (Walter Pidgeon) advised his client against the national publicity that would arise from the case because of Bradford's prominence as a steel tycoon. All the while I was expecting the kind of fanfare from "Miracle on 34th Street", but guess what? - there wasn't a reporter or even a spectator in sight. That seemed a bit of a disconnect following Rayburn's buildup, but not entirely unwelcome. I actually liked the lawyer's perspective in his handling of the case, as if he were in tune to the humanity of the opposition along with his own. Can you imagine that?
Of course the teary eyed moment comes when the viewer realizes a few moments before Bradford himself that he's about to meet his own son. Somehow you knew Miss Dempster would see to it that Bradford's persistence would have a resolution, the payoff was in the manner in which it was presented. Neither played for melodrama or hysterics, one could feel Bradford's loss when the two parted ways with a handshake.
The movie is a nice counter point to Cagney's more traditional roles, particularly since the star, who's almost always on screen, doesn't dominate his scenes with his celebrity or performance. It's a somewhat offbeat role for one of cinema's greatest actors, and one that deserves a viewing for both his performance and the story it tells.