Grade: C
Synopsis: Three World War 1 veterans (James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and Jeffrey Lynn) turn to bootlegging upon returning home to New York City.
The Roaring Twenties is an ambitious gangster film buoyed by James Cagney’s strong performance and a good first half.
Initially, the film fires on all cylinders. The opening battlefield scenes are great and do a wonderful job of efficiently introducing the characters. As the setting shifts to post-war New York the script compensates for disappearance of Humphrey Bogart’s character with the introduction of Frank McHugh and Priscilla Lane’s, as Cagney’s character begins his rise to prominence
Everything’s working now, and Cagney’s chewing up the scenery, but then, the The Roaring Twenties begins to stumble. Starting with the introduction of a far-fetched love triangle between Cagney, Lane, and Jeffrey Lynn and culminating in a ludicrous finale, the script abandons any sense of gritty realism, and instead wallows in clichés. While there’s some good stuff here, the movie drags in the middle and, much like its protagonist, is finished long before the end credits.
Bottom Line: The Roaring Twenties is a well-cast and well-produced gangster picture that simply loses its way midway through.
