Taxi driving is a tough and dangerous business. Matt Nolan (James Cagney) is an independent driver. Consolidated big taxi is pushing out all the independents. Sue Riley Nolan (Loretta Young) is a simple waitress. Her dad is also an independent taxi driver. When the consolidated sends a goon to wreck his taxi, he shoots the man dead. He is sentenced to 10 years. Matt leads a resistance by the independent drivers but Sue has lost her tolerance for violence due to her father's situation and death.
Cagney does say, "you dirty yellow-bellied rat" in this one. This is really a gangster movie. He's punching plenty of people. Other than the opening, Matt is rarely shown driving a taxi. It's fun that he talks some Yiddish. Don't get me wrong. Cagney is the perfect gangster actor and he's playing to his strength. This is early in his career and he's already made some humdingers. The plot in this is a bit scattered and random. For a movie about taxi driving, one expects a lot more car chases and stunt driving.
Cagney does say, "you dirty yellow-bellied rat" in this one. This is really a gangster movie. He's punching plenty of people. Other than the opening, Matt is rarely shown driving a taxi. It's fun that he talks some Yiddish. Don't get me wrong. Cagney is the perfect gangster actor and he's playing to his strength. This is early in his career and he's already made some humdingers. The plot in this is a bit scattered and random. For a movie about taxi driving, one expects a lot more car chases and stunt driving.