classicsoncall So it's St. Patrick's Day, and something tells me to go through my unviewed stack of Jimmy Cagney films. I get to "The Irish In Us" and figure it's got to be cosmic serendipity, there's no question that this is the one for today. This 1935 film offers all the elements of an early Warner Brothers flick set in New York City, and an opening scene gets things going as Ma O'Hara (Mary Gordon) uses the old clothesline transfer to send a stick of butter to her neighbor across the way. Living in The City back then was probably pretty cool, it certainly played on screen as a 'good old days' kind of memory.The title of the picture never even gives a hint that it's going to be a boxing story built around a romance, which itself is built around a rivalry between a pair of brothers, with a third brother thrown in for good measure. You couldn't ask for a better Irish trio than Pat O'Brien, Cagney, and Frank McHugh as the O'Hara's, and since it was a '30's era First National Picture, they found a way to get Allen Jenkins involved as well, as a moniker challenged fighter named Carbarn Hammerschlog, by way of Hershkowitz. Jenkins' bit consists of swinging away wildly any time he hears a bell ring, and that happens just enough times not to wear out it's welcome.The main story though, has to do with Lucille Jackson (Olivia DeHavilland) coming between Pat (O'Brien) and Danny (Cagney), which forces Ma O'Hara to use all her motherly skills to keep the family from falling apart. There's really no question how all this will turn out, except for the result of the boxing finale which would be virtually impossible. I mean, even Rocky Balboa didn't win his first title fight, and he was ripped from a training regimen that would have put Danny and Carbarn into intensive care. I guess simpler times called for simpler solutions.You know, I couldn't help thinking how much this picture resembled an East Side Kids flick from the same era. Cagney could have been Leo Gorcey's Muggs, O'Brien would have been Bobby Jordan's Danny, and I never realized how much of a resemblance there was between Allen Jenkins and Huntz Hall until he did his slapstick thing here. The East Siders also did a fair amount of boxing themed pictures, so from that perspective it isn't too much of a stretch.It's too bad the film isn't available commercially; mine is from a private collector as are many of Cagney's earliest pictures. It's worth trying to catch it on one of the cable channels, most notably Turner Classics when they get into a Cagney riff. Come to think of it, they might have done that today, but I haven't checked. As a final thought, Frank McHugh and Allen Jenkins made quite a few pictures between them supporting Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. For an interesting switch from a boxing format to one involving professional wrestling, catch the pair in a 1938 Bogart picture called "Swing Your Lady". Once again, not available commercially, but it's worth it to catch Bogey in his goofiest role.

Michael_Elliott Irish in Us, The (1935) *** (out of 4) James Cagney, Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh play brothers in this lightweight Warner comedy/drama. Cagney and O'Brien have a falling out after Cagney steals his girl (Olivia de Havilland) and this leads to various problems, which comes full on during a boxing match. This film really doesn't offer anything new in the various teamings of Cagney and O'Brien but there's enough charm here to make the film worth watching. Cagney and O'Brien always work well together and that's true here as the two make for some nice laughs and fighting. McHugh and Allen Jenkins add nice comic support in their roles and it seems Allen's character, a boxer who goes nuts when he hears a bell, was inspired by The Three stooges short Punch Drunk. de Havilland is also very good here in her supporting role. The film ends on a ten or fifteen minute boxing match, which is shot very nice, although it does lead to a rather hokey ending.

tim_smit1836 "The Irish in Us" is a fine Cagney venue. He is surrounded by a good supporting cast with Pat O'Brien (Patrick O'Hara), Frank McHugh (Mike O'Hara) and Allen Jenkins (Carbarn Hammerschlog). Olivia de Havilland (Lucille Jackson) gives a solid and steady performance in only her second movie of her career. Veteran actress Mary Gordon (Ma O'Hara) lends a strong presence as the tough but caring Irish mother. The chemistry between the two women is very believable. The boxing scene between Harvey Parry (Joe Delancy), the champ and Cagney is non-stop action packed and shows Cagney at his best. I highly recommend this movie for all.

Neil Doyle I usually enjoyed the old WB comedies for their great supporting casts, but although THE IRISH IN US is nicely paced with a good cast, there is too much of Frank McHugh for my taste. McHugh is given lots of low comedy scenes that he plays for laughs but makes the comedy seem much too forced at times. Much more bearable is Allen Jenkins as a punch-drunk fighter who goes crazy every time he hears a bell ringing.As for the star trio, Cagney, de Havilland and O'Brien, they've all done better work in other Warner programmers. Here they are stuck with rather routine assignments which they carry off with customary charm and skill. De Havilland is considerably toned down from her first role in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and shows that she caught on quickly to the more restrained acting technique required by the screen.Mary Gordon does a nice job as the warm-hearted Irish mother of Jimmy and Pat, anxious to have her sons on good behavior when Pat's girlfriend, Olivia, pays a visit. She and de Havilland have a warm element in their performances that helps the comedy glow.All in all, an entertaining, if routine Warner comedy with the usual stock players doing their best.