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ComedyYear1959Duration1h 34mIMDb6.0

Never Steal Anything Small

ComedyDramaMusical

Jake MacIllaney will do just about anything to win the presidential election of longshoreman union Local 26. After he encounters young upright attorney Dan Cabot and his attractive wife Linda, MacIllaney breaks up their marriage, pursues Linda, and pins a grand larceny rap on Dan. And all set to music.

Trailer

Cast

Charles Lederer

Director

James Cagney

Jake MacIllaney

Shirley Jones

Linda Cabot

Roger Smith

Dan Cabot

Cara Williams

Winnipeg Simmons

Nehemiah Persoff

Pinelli

Royal Dano

Words Cannon

Anthony Caruso

Lt. Tevis

Horace McMahon

O. K. Merritt

Virginia Vincent

Ginger

Jack Albertson

Sleep-Out Charlie Barnes

Robert J. Wilke

Lennie

Herbie Faye

Hymie

Billy M. Greene

Ed Barton

Barry Russo

Ward

JO

Jack Orrison

Osborne

Roland Winters

Doctor

Ingrid Goude

Model

SS

Sanford Seeger

Fats Ranney

Charles Lederer

Writer

Maxwell Anderson

Writer

Rouben Mamoulian

Writer

Comments

7 Comments

Jam ImperioMay 29, 2023

source: Never Steal Anything Small

maja salvadorMay 21, 2023

Sweta patel🇳🇵🇳🇵Nov 16, 2022

Never Steal Anything Small

Mia BothaNov 16, 2022

It is a hilarious movie with a slightly diluted energetic James Cagney at display. Surely the cockiness and pugnaciousness don't compare to his younger days, but he has still got it. The script is decent too. 8/10 for me.

ufuomamcdermottNov 16, 2022

Charming Damon Runyon flavored semi-musical crime comedy driven by Cagney's magnetism. Only Jimmy could make the strong arm racketeer he's playing so appealing and he sails through this minor film with the assurance of the star he was. Shirley Jones is lovely and sings beautifully but it's the brassy Cara Williams who really stands out. The songs may not be too memorable but they fit the spirit of the story well and the zippy "I Want a Ferrari" duet between Cagney and Cara Williams is a classic car lover's dream. Special mention should also go to the production designer who uses an almost exclusively muted palate of colors to create a rich harmonious look that gives the film a very stylish appearance without ever drawing the audience's eye away from the action. Full of wonderful character actors and a jaunty attitude this is an under-known gem from the latter part of Cagney's career and he owns the film.

mrsadduNov 16, 2022

One of Cagney's last pictures before his extended retirement (he returned in Ragtime). Like On The Waterfront, Never Steel Anything Small deals with a corrupt longshoreman's union on the U.S. east coast. That's where the similarity ends, as one is a straight drama and the other a musical comedy. Cagney, with his roots as a vaudeville hoofer, dances and sings in some neat production numbers choreographed by Hermes Pan, Fred Astaire's (mostly) off-screen collaborator. The movie also sends up television commercials; an unusual thing in the 1950s when Hollywood was loathe to acknowledge the upstart TV medium. Shirley Jones does a nice job as the good wife who inadvertently tempts the wiley union boss/climber-with-a-heart-of-gold Cagney.

Gisele HaidarNov 16, 2022

Well, I gotta say one thing about this film--the concept certainly is unusual. The film is a comedic musical all about gangsters! But, unfortunately it isn't very funny and the songs aren't very good. If you were expecting GUYS AND DOLLS, you are in for a big disappointment. Instead, the movie looks and feels pretty dull and uninvolving. In a way, I would love to have seen the Jimmy Cagney from WHITE HEAT or THE PUBLIC ENEMY enter the film and beat the ever-living snot out of the wussy and "cute" gangster Cagney plays in this film. The bottom line is that the film just isn't entertaining or interesting. There are so many better Cagney films out there--pick one of them instead.

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