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City for Conquest

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City for Conquest
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAnatole Litvak
Jean Negulesco (uncredited)
Screenplay byJohn Wexley
Based onCity for Conquest
1936 novel
by Aben Kandel
Produced byAnatole Litvak
Hal B. Wallis (uncredited)
StarringJames Cagney
Ann Sheridan
Arthur Kennedy
Frank Craven
Anthony Quinn
Elia Kazan
CinematographyJames Wong Howe
Sol Polito
Edited byWilliam Holmes
Music byMax Steiner
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • September 21, 1940 (1940-09-21)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$920,000[1]
Box office$1,794,000[1]

City for Conquest is a 1940 American epic drama film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Arthur Kennedy.[2][3] The picture is based on the 1936 novel of the same name by Aben Kandel. The supporting cast features Elia Kazan, Anthony Quinn, Donald Crisp, Frank McHugh, Frank Craven and Lee Patrick.

Plot

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A vagabond arrives in New York City and is instantly enamored of it. Traveling through the poorer side of town, he meets some of the local children. Among them is Danny Kenny, who shows a talent for boxing. His girlfriend, Peggy, is a skilled dancer. While Danny enjoys the sport, he does not aspire to become a professional boxer. Peggy, on the other hand, dreams of being a star.

Years later, despite once having won a New York Golden Gloves title, Danny decides to work as a truck driver. To help put his brother Eddie through music school, Danny starts to box professionally under the name of Young Samson. He quickly rises through the welterweight ranks to become a title contender.

One night, while at a dance club with Danny, Peggy is swayed by Murray Burns, a local dancing champion. Murray asks Peggy to become his professional dance partner, insulting Danny in the process. Nevertheless, Peggy agrees and quickly learns how domineering Murray is. He constantly tries to control Peggy's life and even sexually abuses her. The arrangement was supposed to be short-term, but just as she is about to marry Danny, Peggy rejects his proposal in a letter as her dancing career is advancing rapidly. Embittered by Peggy's change of mind, Danny continues to thrive in the ring and gets a chance to fight for the world welterweight title.

During the title fight, Danny gains the upper hand. However, the champion cheats by deliberately blinding Danny with rosin-dusted gloves. While Peggy listens to the fight on the radio, Danny takes a severe beating and loses. Peggy becomes so distraught that she is unable to go onstage that night. Her career as a big-time dancer ends, and she is reduced to dancing in local New York City shows for small wages.

Danny quits boxing because of his damaged eyesight and opens a newsstand with help from his manager, gaining many regular customers. Eddie becomes a successful composer of Broadway songs, but his true love is instrumental music. Danny persuades Eddie to pursue his true calling and continue to work on creating a symphony about New York City. Eddie dedicates his first major symphony at Carnegie Hall to Danny, who proudly listens to the performance on the radio from his newsstand. Sensing Danny's soul in the music, Peggy decides to talk to him, despite believing he is still mad at her. At the newsstand, the two tearfully profess their love for each other and decide to resume their relationship.

Cast

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Production

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George Raft was meant to appear opposite Cagney but was unable due to either scheduling reasons or Raft's reluctance to play such an unsympathetic role.[4] Anthony Quinn played his part.[5]

The tramp who appears and narrates the film is portrayed by Frank Craven as a sort of urban parody of his role as The Stage Manager in Our Town, which he had filmed just prior to this picture.

Box office

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According to Warner Bros records the film earned $1,156,000 domestically and $638,000 foreign.[1]

Home media

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City for Conquest was released to DVD by Warner Home Videhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Copyright_violationso on July 18, 2006 as a Region 1 fullscreen DVD and also on October 12, 2010 as a part of the 'TCM Greatest Gangster Films Collection: James Cagney' with City for Conquest on the first disc of a four-disc set.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Warner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 21 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  2. ^ Variety film review; September 11, 1940, page 14.
  3. ^ Harrison's Reports film review; September 28, 1940, page 154.
  4. ^ Schallert, Edwin (May 27, 1940). "Timely 'I Wanted Wings' Set for Early Shooting: Retrenchment Urge On Quinn Tested for 'City' Dual Ouspenskaya Duty Bancroft in 'Daltons' 'Deerslayer' Hastened". Los Angeles Times. p. A10.
  5. ^ Vagg, Stephen (February 9, 2020). "Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft". Filmink.
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