Le fauve en liberté

I can't believe that this film is not well known. Get rid of the terrible courtroom framing device, and you have a gangster masterpiece. Coming on the heels of Cagney's better known White Heat, this film takes violence and corruption to a new level. This film starts off with a brutal jail break and never slows down. The cold blooded violence portrayed is quite jaw dropping. Cagney was born to play this role. He is clearly relishing his cold blooded character. The freshness of this film is surprising. You are totally caught off guard. In this sense, it reminds me most of Kiss Me Deadly. For anyone with a passing interest in Cagney, or gangster films, or film-noir, or film violence, watch this film!!!!!!!

One of the four films made by James Cagney and his brother William for Warner Bros. and directed by journeyman Gordon Douglas this was intended to capitalise on the success of 'White Heat' but failed to do so. This gritty, visceral and deeply cynical film is not without merit however. Strong performnces here from Ward Bond as a corrupt cop and Luther Adler as a seedy lawyer is almost Mephistophelian. What can one say about Cagney? Orson Welles considered him the greatest and in this he was not far wrong. Very few actors could play a psychopathic hood so convincingly yet still be sufficiently charming to capture the affections of the millionaire's daughter, played by classy former model Helena Carter. Critics found this ludicrous of course and made a point of emphasising Cagney's 'maturity'. Producer William was by all accounts thoroughly taken by the sexual charisma of Barbara Payton but of course he was far from being the only one! Of all the sad tales of Tinseltown hers was surely one of the saddest. No need to dwell on this as her bio is freely accessible on IMDB for those who can bear to read it. Mainly peopled by beastly characters with no redeeming features at all this film has sufficient twists and turns to maintain ones interest and has a mesmerising central performance by Mr. Cagney.

"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is about a jail convict (James Cagney) who escapes from prison and goes on the run, relentlessly pursued. He eventually winds up in a small town where he gets a girl and starts a normal life, but begins to corrupt everyone around him.

The movie is not very well known and I'm not sure quite why. Although this movie might not be definitive film noir it surely carries certain elements of the genre, and of course it's got James Cagney in it, one of the ultimate veterans of the genre! Cagney delivers a really solid performance and comes across as both likable and despicable. We feel for him and those around him as his bad influence spreads and the tragic tale takes a turn for the worst.

Although it's a very clear moral tale and ends up exactly where we can expect, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is nevertheless a very good, underrated film whose virtually nonexistent reputation is as depressing as the film itself.

James Cagney shines, and at times even seems to glow in the dark in this rugged follow-up to White Heat, directed with great verve by Gordon Douglas. It's a somewhat neglected film, maybe because it's basically a gangster picture rather than a noir, and rather late in the day for such things. The supporting cast features Barbara Payton; Luther Adler, in a Howard Da Silva role, as an eccentric lawyer, and who almost steals the show from Cagney; Rhys Williams, effortlessly playing an American; William Frawley, for nostalgia; and Ward Bond, neanderthal as ever, as a dogged, corrupt plainclothesman. Good, fast-paced and at times surprisingly violent, this movie will not put you to sleep.

Had a chance to watch KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE and although I don't agree with the claims of some that if you must see one "crime" film, this is it, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and that James Cagney was again terrific and on top of his game for this one. I also didn't get the feeling that this film was, in reality, WHITE HEAT 2, as some have said but it was a nifty follow up to that classic JC film. Cagney was indeed brutal and off his rocker, but it was more controlled and offset with his characters smarts and sense of humor. In WHITE HEAT, JC was just downright nuts, out of control and a lot more frightening IMHO. In KTG, Cags plays Ralph Cotter who after a daring and violent daylight prison break, uses his smarts to prove that he is no small timer and formulates a grand scheme to garner lots of cash and protection which involves crooked lawyers and crooked policemen. Cotter, in the end, is his own downfall as he goes too far and his romance with a high society girl with a very wealthy and powerful father, leads to his downfall because one thing you don't do is double-cross your moll! Excellent performance by all, including Barbara Payton and a near film stealing performance by Luther Adler as JC's eccentric and very crooked lawyer. Direction is robust and swiftly paced by Gordon Douglas and in the end, makes this film fun, breezy, yet violent, but also a very good watch.