Yankee Doodle Dandy (DVD)

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"Yankee Doodle Dandy" came at the right time for the right audience. It was a patriotic movie at the beginning of the most monumental conflict the country would ever face, World War II. But for me, the best and most touching scenes in the film are not simply the big, patriotic production numbers. They are, in addition, a couple of moments that come at the very end: First, when Cagney's Cohan briefly dances down the White House stairs; it lasts for mere seconds yet remains in memory forever. And then, outside the White House watching a parade go by, when he's not recognized and asked to join in a chorus of "Over There." A soldier turns to him and says, "What's the matter, old-timer, don't you remember this song?" There was a time when Cohan would have answered smugly, "I wrote it." Instead, he sings along with a tear in his eye. Sweet.

Video:
The 1.33:1, Academy-ratio, black-and-white image is near perfect, insofar as the transfer is concerned. Warner Bros. appear to have been working with an excellent print, and age spots and scratches are almost nonexistent. Only in a few brief instances did I notice any signs of deterioration, and it was so minor as to be inconsequential. Delineation is probably as good as it ever was when the film was new, but the B&W contrasts are sometimes not as well defined as they might be, looking a mite washed out on occasion, especially in brightly lit scenes. Mostly, though, this is a clear, unblemished picture.

Audio:
The sound is obviously vintage monaural, but the Dolby Digital, single-channel remastering cleans it up considerably, rendering it smoother than it might have been when first recorded. Like the picture quality, the audio is flattering and easy on the ear. The musical numbers are well executed sonically, lacking the depth and breadth that stereo would have provided, of course, but smooth and agreeable. Only in the loudest passages does the sound become slightly edgy, but it's not at all distracting. Moreover, it remains dead quiet at normal levels and conveys dialogue as well as music with a natural and realistic, albeit somewhat limited, tonal balance. In short, it's mono, but it's good mono.

Extras:
With "Yankee Doodle Dandy" Warner Bros. produce a two-disc set worthy of the title "special edition." Disc one alone might be labeled a special edition by some studios, it contains so much material. First, there's the standard screen presentation of the movie itself, with its Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack. Next, there's a full-feature audio commentary with film historian Rudy Behlmer. After that is a Warner Night at the Movies, introduced by Leonard Maltin, that includes a "Casablanca" theatrical trailer; a patriotic short subject, "Beyond the Line of Duty"; and a Merrie Melodies cartoon, "Bugs Bunny Get the Boid." Finally, there are a generous thirty-eight scene selections and a James Cagney trailer gallery with trailers for seven of the actor's most-famous films. English is the only spoken language provided, but there are subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

Disc two, as expected, is where the real background material lies. Here, you'll find first a forty-six minute documentary, "James Cagney: Top of the World," made in 1992 and hosted by Michael J. Fox. Then, you'll find a new, forty-four minute, making-of documentary, "Let Freedom Sing! The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy." Both documentaries feature interviews with practically everyone who ever knew or worked with the actor. Next, you get a five-minute reminiscence, "John Travolta Remembers James Cagney," who explains to us how he has always tried to emulate Cagney as an actor and entertainer. This is followed by a 1943 inspirational wartime short film starring Cagney, "You, John Jones," directed by Mervyn LeRoy. After that is a 1942 "Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater radio production of "Yankee Doodle Dandy," with most of the movie's cast recreating their famous roles, plus a selection of audio-only outtakes and rehearsals for the movie. Lastly, there are two classic WB cartoons, "Yankee Doodle Bugs" and "Yankee Doodle Daffy"; and a whole series of galleries for dressed-set photos, scene concept drawings, publicity materials, and sheet music.

Parting Thoughts:
Cagney is often thought of today as merely one of the movie's little tough guys, but, in fact, he was one of the most versatile actors the screen has ever produced. He played in gangster movies and romances, musicals and Shakespeare with equal ease. In "Yankee Doodle Dandy" he reached the apex of his career, putting everything together--comedy, drama, singing, and dancing--in a film that still delights audiences young and old. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is an American success story, and a great piece of entertainment.

"Ladies and gentlemen: My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you." --James Cagney, "Yankee Doodle Dandy"

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