Obviously the main reason to watch this movie is the fact it is James Cagney's (Harry) first film. It is also the first film of Joan Blondell (Myrtle), and Evalyn Knapp's (Jeannie) fist feature (she did shorts prior to this). I found Myrtle to be the most interesting character. Not only did she NOT look like Blondell (dark hair), but she was nasty gold digging prostitute (a character I NEVER saw from her before), and she even lost the in looks department to Jeannie.
The main character is Ma Delano (Lucille LaVerne) who runs a Coney Island Arcade with her kids Harry, Jeannie and Joe. This woman is a real piece of work, she basically smothers Harry (almost borderline incest when they kiss on the lips) and basically neglects Jeannie and Joe. Spoilers ahead: Harry who is basically weak and pathetic, gets involved with the bootlegging business (that his mother hates), and rips off gangster Mitch (Warren Hymer), and murders him. Myrtle is his alibi and lets his mother exactly what happened, and that basically she will be running things from now on. Harry breaks down like a baby and his mother frames Angel Harrigan (Grant Withers) for the crime. The problem is Jeannie saw the murder and is sweet on Angel. She tells the police (very reluctantly) what happened and Harry confesses. The final scene is very revealing Joe starts to take her away, but she sees a big crowd (and of course lots of $$$$$$$$$), and she puts Angel (who she never liked) in charge. I can understand her being angry at Jeannie, for ratting out Harry, but did not let her Good Son Joe run things either. Is this a perfect movie? Not at all. But Cagney, LaVerne and especially Blondell make it work. 8/10 Stars
The main character is Ma Delano (Lucille LaVerne) who runs a Coney Island Arcade with her kids Harry, Jeannie and Joe. This woman is a real piece of work, she basically smothers Harry (almost borderline incest when they kiss on the lips) and basically neglects Jeannie and Joe. Spoilers ahead: Harry who is basically weak and pathetic, gets involved with the bootlegging business (that his mother hates), and rips off gangster Mitch (Warren Hymer), and murders him. Myrtle is his alibi and lets his mother exactly what happened, and that basically she will be running things from now on. Harry breaks down like a baby and his mother frames Angel Harrigan (Grant Withers) for the crime. The problem is Jeannie saw the murder and is sweet on Angel. She tells the police (very reluctantly) what happened and Harry confesses. The final scene is very revealing Joe starts to take her away, but she sees a big crowd (and of course lots of $$$$$$$$$), and she puts Angel (who she never liked) in charge. I can understand her being angry at Jeannie, for ratting out Harry, but did not let her Good Son Joe run things either. Is this a perfect movie? Not at all. But Cagney, LaVerne and especially Blondell make it work. 8/10 Stars