Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:23
Fresh:21
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.9/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
Synopsis: This much-loved and much-acclaimed musical biography salutes the life and career of American composer and performer George M. Cohan. James Cagney brilliantly essays the role of Cohan, a... This much-loved and much-acclaimed musical biography salutes the life and career of American composer and performer George M. Cohan. James Cagney brilliantly essays the role of Cohan, a song-and-dance man who made his mark on the vaudeville stage at the young age of 13. Thereafter, he continued to rack up triumph after triumph -- until he became the first performer of the popular theater to win a Congressional Medal of Honor. Along the way, he penned countless memorable tunes, including "Over There," "It's a Grand Old Flag," "Give My Regards to Broadway" and the film's rousing title number. [More]
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf, George Tobias, Irene Manning, Rosemary DeCamp, Jeanne Cagney
Director: Michael Curtiz
Director: Michael Curtiz
Producer: William Cagney
Reviews for Yankee Doodle Dandy
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Raucous, vulgar, over long. Full Review |
|||
|
Thanks to fluent direction, fine photography and Cagney's brillance as actor and song and dance man, the whole piece is surprisingly palatable. Full Review |
|||
|
Flag waving, toe tapping, GREAT James Cagney performance as Broadway's George M. Cohan.
|
|||
|
A big, old-fashioned rousing biopic of patriotic showman George M. Cohan, played with energy and gusto by Jimmy Cagney in his only Oscar-winning performance. Full Review |
|||
|
It delivers its red-white-and-blue patriotism to you by the exuberant bushel, but this grand old film reminds us that there was a time when patriotism was more heartfelt than bullying and jingoistic. Full Review |
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
James Cagney played George M. Cohan with great vigor and won his only Oscar for that brilliant performance. Full Review |
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
awfully dull and stodgy
|
|||
|
Love that Cagney!
|
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
...Cagney's picture through and through. He imbues every scene with the kind of electricity only a handful of screen stars have ever managed. Full Review |
|||
|
A timeless treasure that will never fade. Cagney is great; Huston unforgetable. A wonderful slice of Americana.
|
|||
|
You will find as warm and delightful a musical picture as has hit the screen in years, a corking good entertainment and as affectionate, if not as accurate, a film biography as has ever -- yes, ever -- been made. Full Review |
|||
|
Cagney rocks, if indeed one can use that verb to describe a movie about George M. Cohan
|
|||
|
No review available.
|
|||
|
Cagney shines in a delightfully told biography of George M. Cohan
|
|||
|
Yankee Doodle Dandy is rah-rah, no matter how you slice it. Full Review |
Latest News for Yankee Doodle Dandy
June 22, 2007:
AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
Ten years ago the AFI gave us a list of the Top 100 American Films Ever Made -- and when that was done they churned out 15 other lists every few years. And then last night they... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Yankee Doodle Dandy at Rotten Tomatoes
- Yankee Doodle Dandy at IGN
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.







