A Salute to Doris Day - Love Me or Leave Me

MGM, 1955
Starring Doris Day, James Cagney, Cameron Mitchell, and Robert Keith
Directed by Charles Vidor
Music by Nicholas Brodzsky and others; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and others

First of all, this is my last review for the next week and a half. I'll be on vacation from tomorrow through Thursday, May 23rd, which is when regular reviews will resume.

Though she's best-known for her comedies, Day could be a credible dramatic actress when called on to be. Probably her best-known foray into drama was this mid-50's hit, one of her two pairings with James Cagney. This dark gangster musical is unusual territory for MGM, who usually preferred their musicals on the fluffy side. The gamble paid off - it won Best Writing at the Oscars and received a truckload of good reviews for Cagney and Day. Let's head to a dance hall in Chicago during the Roaring 20's to see if it's worthy of that acclaim...

The Story: Ruth Etting (Day) may work in a dance hall, but she has every intention of going places. She catches the eye of Chicago big shot Martin "The Gimp" Snyder (Cagney) when she kicks a customer who's getting fresh. He's smitten with her and promises that he'll get her into the big time. He starts with pushing her into a nightclub act, then a stage show when the regular act gets drunk. He wants her to go to Miami with him, but she insists she's not anyone's  plaything and declines. He's initially angry, but eventually gets her and her loyal pianist Johnny Alderman (Mitchell) first a radio show of her own, then a spot in the Ziegfeld Follies. Ruth may be doing well, but Snyder isn't. Each move takes him further and further away from his accustomed turf, and puts Ruth's career further out of his control.

She marries him out of gratitude, even though she doesn't love him. It turns out to be a mistake. He becomes increasingly jealous and violent as he micromanages every aspect of her life and career, from her radio show to her recordings. Tired of being told he's riding her success, he opens his own nightclub. She's making movies in Hollywood and is renewing her feelings for Johnny, who returns them. Martin doesn't like this at all...and the resulting shooting and scandal would damage Etting's career and make her realize that, no matter how much she appreciates what Martin did for her, she can't live with his abuse anymore.

The Song and Dance: This is familiar turf for Cagney, one of his last gangster roles...but who knew Day could be this tough? She matches him snarl for snarl in what's probably one of her best performances as the singer who will do anything to further her career. Cagney's just as good as the gangster who refuses to admit that he's in over his head in show business. Keith's also excellent as Snyder's friend and Etting's agent Bernie Loomis.

MGM spared no expense on this one. The costumes are gorgeous, especially early-on, when they're still running with the twenties flapper aesthetic. The movie was shot in Cinemascope, and it looks great.

Favorite Number: Day's famous "Shakin' the Blues Away," the sole chorus number, really benefits from the wider screen, with wind machines and chorus boys in tuxes and canes flanking Day. Her other songs are mostly sung behind a microphone or a piano. "Ten Cents a Dance" was an Etting staple, and Day knocks it out of the park in the other major stage number. Her "I'll Never Stop Loving You" (which was Oscar-nominated) gets a tender run-through late in the film, when she's realized how much she loves Johnny.

Trivia: Spencer Tracy was originally going to play Martin, but turned down the role. Ava Gardner and Jane Russell were considered for Etting until Cagney suggested Day.

Unlike earlier singer biographies such as Lillian Russell, this one at least somewhat sticks to the facts. Etting really did marry Snyder to further her career, and she really was a popular singer in the late 20's and early 30's who appeared briefly in the Ziegfeld Follies, had her own radio show, and recorded dozens of hits. Snyder really did control her career that much, even starting fights and pulling pranks backstage at her shows.

The shooting scandal, however, was even nastier than what they depicted here. Johnny was married with children at the time, and Martin actually threatened them along with him. His wife even sued Etting for damages - it was dropped in 1939. Etting married Johnny after he recovered, and they happily retired to Colorado Springs for the rest of their lives.

What' I Don't Like: Despite the happy ending, this is not a feel-good movie. Those who are expecting Day's usual fizzy comedies will likely be baffled. These are not the nicest people, even Etting, and some harrowing scenes of verbal and physical abuse makes it hard to watch occasionally towards the end.

The Big Finale: If you're looking for a different Day or are a fan of her, Cagney, or gangster tales, you'll want to give this one a try.

Home Media: As one of Day's biggest hit musicals, this is easily found on all formats; the Blu-Ray is available from the Warner Archives.

DVD
Blu-Ray
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