Made just one year after 'The Public Enemy', James Cagney had truly made it in Hollywood when this film was made, and here he's engaging as always. However, while it's wonderful to see him dance a couple times (and to see George Raft dance as well), it's less than wonderful to see his character's pugnaciousness extending to threatening to hit his girlfriend (Loretta Young) several times. If you're sensitive to that, you may want to skip this one. Even at age 19, Young was practically an industry veteran given her filmography, and she turns in a good performance, both standing up to Cagney (at least to some extent) and falling for him. She also confessed to falling for him in real life, and maybe some of that chemistry shows. It's a tight script and story-telling from director Roy Del Ruth, but it is a little silly how much Young's character helps Cagney's enemy (David Landau). I loved the stock city shots in New York that are used in transitions, and the film zips along in its 69 minutes. The scene in the nightclub, with music by the Cotton Club Orchestra and some sexy dancing, is also a nice little bit of pre-code fun, as is Young briefly in her lingerie in a typical pre-code dressing scene. The main reason to watch the film, though, is to see Cagney's range. He's playful, romantic, speaks Yiddish, dances, and of course gets tough, busting off lines like "Come out and take it, you dirty yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!" Despite its flaws, it's entertaining, and worth seeing.

It's Cagney at his most energetic. He better be because he's trying to survive New York's cut-throat taxi competition. It's the big fish, like Consolidated Cab Co., trying to eat smaller ones, like Cagney's Matt Nolan, while the Depression era jungle festers outside. Consolidated's already killed old Pop Riley (Kibbee) and left his daughter (Young) vulnerable, that is, until Cagney steps in. But when they kill Cagney's brother, he swears a vendetta, and we know what happens when the Irishman gets angry. Now it's mano-y-mano with Consolidated's brutal Buck Gerard (Landau).Fortunately, Young's unforced sweetness manages to hold its own amidst Cagney's human dynamo that sweeps up the rest of the film. Needed comic relief is supplied by sarcastic waitress Ruby (Bennett) with a voice like a squeaky tire and an accent right off Brooklyn's streets, which leaves poor Skeets (Stone) with little to do but meekly follow the dynamo around.It's noteworthy that Cagney's Matt Nolan is not particularly likable. He's belligerent, aggressive and completely self-assured, not exactly qualities that invite affection. But then, the actor always seemed more interested in being persuasive rather than likable, a rare quality for a star. Nonetheless, there is that compelling Cagney charismaAll in all, the two leads are the whole show since the plot is typical hard-boiled Warner's fare of the period. But then, for Cagney fans, that's more than enough.

Taxi (1932) *** (out of 4) Silly but extremely entertaining crime film from Warner deals with two rival cab companies who resort to violence to settle business. James Cagney leads one side of the fight while slowly falling for the girl (Loretta Young) who lost her father in the taxi wars. This is certainly a silly film but if you enjoy watching Cagney kick ass then this is highly entertaining. The film opens with Cagney knocking around a few guys and continues throughout the film, which runs a very fast 68-minutes and doesn't have one dry moment the whole way through. One of the men Cagney beats is played by a young George Raft who smarts off after a dance contest. Cagney is as fast and as wild as he has ever been and his performance is top-notch. Young is also very good in her role as his wife as she must try and talk Cagney out of seeking vengeance on the man who killed his brother. The screenplay is rather smart even though most of its just there for the action but this is the perfect time killer and great fun for fans of the two stars. George E. Stone, Guy Kibbee and Leila Bennett co-star.

I would basically break this film down into three parts - the movie starts out as a story of independent New York City taxicab drivers up against the Consolidated Cab Company, who are using strong arm tactics to boot the independents out of business. Loretta Young is fine as pretty waitress Sue Riley whose dad Pop Riley (Guy Kibbee) shoots a man (hired by Consolidated) who wrecks his cab on purpose in an effort by Consolidated to take over Pop's corner taxi business. Second part of the film takes a sudden turn into a romance between Sue and independent cab driver Matt Nolan (played by James Cagney), a conceited tough guy with a very bad temper, a constant chip on his shoulder and an urge to hit everyone who does him the slightest wrong. They go double dating, necking at the movies, enter a fox trot dancing contest, and bicker over the fact that he just can't stop getting into fights with people. He even picks a fight with a man who steps on his foot in the elevator on their way up to get a marriage license. The worst part is, Nolan threatens to hit Sue in the face multiple times during the film - and she marries him anyway (what a dope she is!). The third part of this film starts at the "Cotton Pickers Club" where we see, if briefly, an interesting floor show/dance number followed soon after by the stabbing death of Nolan's brother after Nolan has a confrontation with a man from Consolidated who was behind the attempted takeover of Pop Riley's taxi corner.I find this film to be pretty good, though the character of Sue does a number of things in this film I really question and not just limited to marrying a man who threatens violence often (and actually does slap her in the face in one scene). The film includes some interesting interior shots such as the seafood restaurant where Sue works (complete with revolving glass door, fish tanks and 85 cent trout), the Harlem nightclub, and also some of the outdoor street scenes. The best part of the film is the strong performance of James Cagney who is always so great playing a tough guy such as this. We even get to see him dancing in a few scenes - it's fun to watch as Cagney and Loretta Young swirl around the dance floor doing the fox trot and later Cagney does a very brief tap dance in the apartment doorway. I do also enjoy the performance of Leila Bennett as Sue's daffy gal pal Ruby, who adds a bit of humor and fun to the film.