Cagney, Bogey, Guns, Booze & Dames – THE ROARING TWENTIES Screens at Webster University Friday Night

THE ROARING TWENTIES screens this Friday night, October 17^th at 7:30 at Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium

THE ROARING TWENTIES is at heart a swansong to a decade and one of the greatest of all gangster flicks. James Cagney and Raoul Walsh, the star and director team behind 1949’s masterpiece WHITE HEAT teamed up here for the first time. Cagney’s trademark persona is expertly captured by Walsh’s camera, and the story ties in all the classic gangster film elements including love, business, gunfights, rivalry and the male ego. The plot follows three WWI veterans; one of which becomes a lawyer, another a bootlegger and the third (Cagney) the owner of a Taxi firm. The latter finds a lucrative business, which involves him brewing and selling alcohol, which was illegal at the time under the prohibition act.

James Cagney is definitely the star of THE ROARING TWENTIES, but bubbling just beneath him is an excellent Humphrey Bogart. Cagney’s ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES co-star turns in another excellent supporting turn here, which just hints at the acclaim he would go on to achieve. It’s always interesting to see an actor before they really hit the big time, and Bogart’s performance is one of the main attractions in THE ROARING TWENTIES. One of the things I loved about the way that the story is executed are the news reel bulletins that pop up every now and again to inform the audience of the wider plot developments. These give the film a very retro sort of feel, which also help it in its bid to remind viewers of the era (at the time of release) that had just gone by.

Now lucky St. Louis-area classic film fans can revisit the decade when THE ROARING TWENTIES screens this Friday night, October 17^th at 7:30 at Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood Ave.)

Tickets
Unless otherwise noted, admission is:

$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 for Webster University staff and faculty
Free for Webster students with proper ID.

For more information call (314) 968-7487.

Webster University’s Film Series site can be found HERE

http://www.webster.edu/film-series/