He Was Her Man (1934)

James Cagney and Joan Blondell team up for the seventh and last time for "He Was Her Man," a Warner Brothers film from 1934.

Cagney is Flicker Hayes. He tells the police about a robbery attempt so that they can catch the two men who put him in prison. One, Dan, escapes. The other kills a cop and winds up in the electric chair.

Dan orders two hit-man to find Flicker and kill him. Flicker rents a room and meets Rose (Blondell), a young, sad woman who returns to the room to fetch her wedding dress. She is a former prostitute and needs a ride to a fishing village, where her betrothed, a Portugese fisherman (Victor Jory) is waiting to marry her.

Sounds good to Flicker - it's obscure, anyway, so he accompanies her. The two fall for one another, and no doubt have sex when the camera isn't around - it is post-code, after all. Rose doesn't want to marry her boyfriend now, she wants to go away with Flicker. He buys a bus ticket for her and they go to the bus station together.

Unfortunately, Flicker has been discovered by Dan and his thugs, who want to kill him.

A dark film with two subdued performances by the leads, who are both very good. Cagney does a great job, as always - even though he's not a flying high, exuberant criminal, he still plays a confident man, and you can't help noticing him.

Blondell, who did so many comedy roles, is dead serious here and very effective.

Others in the cast, besides those mentioned, are George Chandler, Harold Huber, John Qualen - lots of familiar faces.

Victor Jory is somewhat miscast but pulls off his role as a gentle person who truly cares for Rose.

You're not really sure how this will end. It is a lovely ending, if poignant. Well directed by Lloyd Bacon.