Pugno di ferro

Interesting B movie from Grand National that reunites James Cagney with his Public Enemy co-star Mae Clarke. This was one of the movies Cagney made during his contract dispute with Warner Bros. The plot has tough guy Cagney taking over the position of Chief Deputy of the Departments of Weights and Measures, where he fights corruption with a good right cross. It never ceases to amaze me how bureaucrats were held in high esteem in 1930s movies. Name just about any government official and there was at least one movie with him as a crusading hero. More naive about government back then, I guess. Anyway this is not a bad movie but nothing exceptional. It moves along quickly. Cagney elevates the film above its Poverty Row backdrop. It's nice seeing him with Clarke again. The two have a playful chemistry. James Burke is a little annoying as Cagney's "Lucky Charms" sidekick. Worth a look for all Cagney fans, if for no other reason than to see him doing mundane things like shopping for groceries and putting gas in his car. All in the name of justice, of course.

The interesting role for James Cagney is probably the main reason to watch "Great Guy". The role in itself is a fairly uncommon one for a leading role, and Cagney gives it his own distinctive style. The movie overall is a solid if rather predictable crime drama, with a couple of interesting details.

Cagney plays a new official in charge of the bureau of weights and measures, which is a relatively creative choice for a movie hero. As Cagney goes about investigating various instances of fraud, his character gradually takes on more and more of the tough guy persona that you associate with Cagney. At the same time, the stakes become ever higher in his battle with the sources of corruption.

The supporting cast is adequate, but they are generally overshadowed rather easily by Cagney. Mae Clarke is relatively appealing as Cagney's fiancée, but she mostly has to react to situations, since the script and dialogue don't give her much more to work with.

The movie as a whole largely follows a familiar pattern, and with a lesser star it would have been a rather routine affair. Cagney brings it up a couple of notches, and his own performance certainly won't disappoint anyone either.

Two-fisted, crusading Deputy Chief of the Department of Weights and Measures Johnny Cave is out to smash short-weighting delicatessens, markets, and grocery delivery services and to expose the crooked businessmen who are behind the short-weighting racket and who pay off the aldermen and mayor who are on the take. The plot sounds like a parody of all the tough-guy G-Men and T-Men movies of the thirties, but it is played straight and it works.

The pleasures of the movie, aside from Cagney as Cagney, are that this is the third and final movie to pair Cagney with Mae Clarke and that several great character actors in the supporting cast, particularly Edward Brophy, James Burke, and Henry Kolker, are given plenty of opportunities to show off their characteristic acts.

James Cagney was an actor with plenty charisma, and this film is an evidence of it. He was always pleasant in any role, no matter if he was a gangster, a good man or a dancer, he performed all well and delivered enough smell for sympathy. The film had no a complicated plot, it was quite simple but still relevant for the society. Corruption of officials is very common, and what the film showed is what still exists. Certainly there are decent people who do not commit such mistakes, and Johnny 'Red' Cave (Cagney) was one of them, who was in charge of the bureau of weights and measures. He investigated several dark cases and succeeded to make them clear as well as finding out who were responsible for such misdeeds. However, knowing is not enough, it is necessary to make accusations with evidences to condemn those guilty, and that was what Johnny did. Probably today somebody like Johnny should use more sophisticated methods according to those used by those infringing the law. In any case, the film is good also to be watched for entertainment.

What does this movie have in common with The Godfather, the Wild West or even Superman? Well, it comes right down to truth and justice - whether they really are the American Way or whether corruption and violence have gnawed to the core of democratic society and made it rotten. Second only to sex, institutionalized corruption has been just about the biggest issue for Hollywood right through its history. And rightly so as, the battle to resist it is seemingly never finished.

That's a big build up for a small movie. Great Guy is just a simple story about one man who tries to make a difference and who takes a lot of personal risks in doing so. And let's face it, the Bureau of Weights and Measures is hardly the most glamorous place for a story. But James Cagney's character Johnny Cave uses his brains, his fists and a lot of Attitude to try setting things straight and I for one am grateful to him and others like him.