The Time of Your Life (1948)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

William Saroyan (play)
Nathaniel Curtis (adaptation)

Release Date:

3 September 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

You'll love these wonderful characters!

Plot:

A wide variety of persons come into Nick's Pacific Street Saloon, some to ask for work and others just to pass the time.

Plot Keywords:

Saloon | African American | Toy | Gunfire | Friendship

Cast

James Cagney	...	Joseph T. (who observes people)
William Bendix	...	Nick (saloon owner who loves horses)
Wayne Morris	...	Tom (Joe's stooge and friend)
Jeanne Cagney	...	Kitty Duval (stage name of Katerina Koronovsky)
Broderick Crawford	...	Krupp (a bewildered policeman)
Ward Bond	...	McCarthy (a blatherskite)
James Barton	...	Kit Carson (a cowboy also called Murphy)
Paul Draper	...	Harry (the natural-born tap dancing comedian)
Gale Page	...	Mary L. (a woman of quality)
Jimmy Lydon	...	Dudley Raoul Bostwick (a young man in love) (as James Lydon)
Richard Erdman	...	Willie (the pinball machine maniac)
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Arab philosopher
Reginald Beane	...	Wesley (the pianist)
John 'Skins' Miller	...	Drunk
Tom Powers	...	Freddy Blick (a stool pigeon and frame-up artist)

Runtime:

109 min | USA:105 min (Turner library print) | Canada:100 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #12768) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

William Cagney Productions

Trivia:

During the Broadway season of 1939-1940, the role of Harry was played by then-unknown Gene Kelly.

Quotes:

Joe: Living is an art, it's not bookkeeping. It takes an awful lot of rehearsal for a man to get to be himself.

Movie Connections:

Featured in James Cagney: Top of the World (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Wait 'Till the Sun Shines, Nellie

A nice collection of eccentrics

The plot of this film progresses very slowly especially by modern standards but the linear storyline is not really the reason to watch it. The cast brings to life a nice collection of unique personalities whose interactions are a joy to behold. Cagney is cast against type (he's not in trademark tough guy mode; he even hates to stand!). Fans of his are in for a treat and like I said the entire cast distinguishes itself. All in all a very worthwhile viewing, 8/10.