These Wilder Years

Not quite a weeper, These Wilder Years is one of those small-scale, thoughtful dramas that rarely if ever are made nowadays. It's about a steel tycoon (James Cagney) who, in mid-life crisis, tries to find the son he abandoned, along with the mother, twenty years earlier. Used to getting his own way by means of money and mouthpieces, he runs into the head of a home for what once were called "wayward girls" (Barbara Stanwyck). She refuses to bend to his charm, his money, or, finally, his legal talent (Walter Pidgeon).

The story -- possibly more resonant today than when it was released -- takes some unexpected (not to say far-fetched) turns; it's sentimental, all right, but stays on the dry side of mawkish. Its main problem is one of audience expectations. Starring two of the most powerful actors in the history of movies -- Stanwyck and Cagney -- it keeps them at half-throttle throughout. Of course they acquit themselves admirably: they're both seasoned troupers with a wide range. But the confrontational fireworks we hope for and expect never quite come. Nonetheless, These Wilder Years remains a solid and fairly credible film.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Cagney in this movie. I must admit, after viewing a lot of his films I've grown accustomed to his famous tough-guy image. But, after seeing "These Wilder Years" I was a little surprised to see a softer, gentler Cagney. It's a pleasant contrast in light of his previous roles. Cagney is a splendid and versatile actor and I've always relished seeing him play comedic and dramatic parts as well as gangster/hoodlum roles. He's simply irresistable to watch on screen and I'm always interested to see how he's going to react. You never know when he's going to "sprinkle the goodies" in a scene. He is always good to his audience. In "These Wilder Years", Cagney plays a successful businessman in search of a son that was put up for adoption twenty years ago. Even though Cagney's character pretty much has everything he wants, there's just something missing and he has to fulfull this part of his life. I don't want to give away what happens in the movie but the interactions between Barbara Stanwyck and Betty Lou Keim are compelling and at times, very touching.

Although, I wouldn't say this is Oscar material and there are plenty of good movies out there, this is one definitely worth seeing -- Cagney fan or not :)

Maltin calls this a soap opera. That's what I expected it to be, but I feel that it's better than that, largely due to Cagney's performance. He's quite believable as a middle aged man who regrets the mistakes of his youth. Barbara Stanwyck is a woman struggling with an emotional and legal conflict. Throw in a good courtroom scene, and you've got a movie that holds your interest to the end. The final resolution is a bit sappy, but overall, the film is pretty good.

It is surprising that it took so long for someone to put Barbara Stanwyck and James Cagney together in a film. This is a much different project, though, than what they may have done together twenty years earlier. Nonetheless, it is fun to watch them pair up for These Wilder Years at MGM.

The performances of the leads are surprisingly tender and subdued. This is quite significant considering that Miss Stanwyck is often given to toughness and that Mr. Cagney has a propensity for ham. But the script (about adoption) calls for a different approach, and fortunately, the director worked with the stars to play the characters instead of themselves; instead of giving what audiences have come to expect from them.

With James Cagney's gangster phase at a close, ending beautifully with 1955's Love Me or Leave Me, he turned towards a different kind of role: a regular fellow. In These Wilder Years, he plays a successful businessman who decides he has everything he could ever want except the unfinished business of his past. Without a word of explanation to anyone but his faithful lawyer, Walter Pidgeon, James leaves work and travels to a small town and visits an orphanage. Turns out, he's looking for his son, who was adopted twenty years ago.

In case this sounds a little corny, give it a chance anyway. This one is completely worth watching. The plot moves steadily along, and with old pros like James Cagney and Barbara Stanwyck pitted against each other, they each bring a lot of emotion to the table. Barbara is stronger than she looks, and Jimmy holds more secrets than he first lets on. While trying to find his son, Jimmy also bonds with a teenager, Betty Lou Keim, who's pregnant and preparing for the difficult emotional decision of giving her baby to Barbara's orphanage.

There's so much to appreciate about this movie, and if you're a fan of the leads, this is a great transition movie to see them in the second half of their careers. Depending on how sentimental you're feeling, you might want to bring along a Kleenex.