Yankee Doodle Dandy (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Description

Set Contains: Two 45-minute documentaries highlight the
Yankee Doodle Dandy two-DVD set. Michael J. Fox hosts James Cagney: Top of the
World, a 1992 biography of the film’s star that incorporates a rare audio
interview with footage and photos from his film and stage career. Let Freedom
Sing! The Story of “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is a 2003 exploration of the film
itself, including George M. Cohan’s tight control over the project (he wanted
Fred Astaire to play him) and profiles of the cast and crew (Joan Leslie, who
played Cohan’s wife, is interviewed and still looks lovely over 60 years
later). Of course some material overlaps both documentaries, such as how a
Communist accusation compelled Cagney to pursue this ultra-patriotic project,
and how news of Pearl Harbor arrived during filming. Other significant
features are historian Rudy Behlmer’s trivia-laden commentary track and the
nightmarish 1943 short “You, John Jones,” in which Cagney is forced to
envision his daughter (a pre-Meet Me in St. Louis Margaret O’Brien) suffering
in wartime conditions around the world. The transfer isn’t as eye-popping as
on some of Warner’s classics, but of course the chief reason to celebrate is
that a great musical is finally available on DVD with plenty of interesting
features. –David Horiuchi

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Musicals & Performing Arts/Musicals
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Special Edition, Subtitled
• Contributor: Joan Leslie, Walter Catlett, James Cagney, Walter Huston, George Tobias, Douglas Croft, Julius Epstein, Irene Manning, Eddie Foy Jr., Jeanne Cagney, Rosemary DeCamp, Richard Whorf, Frances Langford, George Barbier, S. Z. Sakall, Michael Curtiz See more
• Language: English
• Runtime: 2 hours and 6 minutes
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 4 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 980885
• Director ‏ : ‎ Michael Curtiz
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Black & White, Closed-captioned, Special Edition, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 6 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 5, 2005
• Actors ‏ : ‎ James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf, Irene Manning