The Strawberry Blonde
Director: Raoul Walsh
Year Released: 1941
Rating: 2.0
Stifling corniness does not work in this picture's favor, taking the Capra route of making life sugary-sweet instead of infusing any of it with a sense of reality or realistic drama. James Cagney wants revenge against an old friend that took his main love-interest (Rita Hayworth) and framed him for shady business dealings (Cagney's character unjustly served jail time) while the woman that gives up her life for him (Olivia de Havilland) is merely an accessory - chemistry between the two is never developed, and it's never evident why she would fall for such a boorish yokel. It actually features a scene where a dinner engagement is ruined because no one can figure out how to eat pasta.
