DVD/Blu Ray review: Never Steal Anything Small (1959)

Kino Lorber’s colorful new blu ray release of this cheerful musical from later in James Cagney’s career has significant historical interest. It was Cagney’s final performance in a movie musical. Cagney may be best remembered for his gangster roles, but he always considered himself essentially a song and dance man. This movie culminates that aspect of his career.

Cagney plays a fast-talking union man whose attempts to rise to the top as union president results in his taking advantage of a situation involving his young lawyer (Roger Smith), and the awyer’s wife (Shirley Jones).

However, this is a film whose narrative seems secondary to the delightful musical numbers that serve as the film’s highlights. Cagney, at 60, can still be the limber hoofer in these numbers, choreographed by Hermes Pan. The showstopper is “I’m Sorry, I Want a Ferrari,” which Cagney sings and dances with Cara Williams. James Cagney was at the end of his movie career when he made Never Steal Anything Small, with only a few more movies before retiring in 1961. He made a brief comeback 20 years later to do a couple of movie appearances.

Never Steal Anything Small is filled with welcome character actors that make any movie better. Names like Neimiah Persoff, Jack Albertson, Herbie Faye, Roland Winters, Anthony Caruso, and Horace McMahon. The widescreen color visuals are striking and the entire production benefits from a lighthearted approach that adds to its entertainment value. And, despite his being twice the age he was in his early gangster classics, when Cagney delivers lines like “I’m not takin’ orders I’m given ‘em” in his inimitable tough guy voice, it’s difficult to not cheer.

Kino Lorber’s blu ray is beautiful, its special features benefiting from two commentaries, one by Daniel Kremer, the other by Lee Gambin.

Of James Cagney’s later films, Never Steal Anything Small has not enjoyed the reputation of movies like Man of a Thousand Faces, Love Me or Leave Me, or One Too Three, but it holds up well as an entertaining musical comedy that is highly recommended.

The blu ray is available at this link: Never Steal Anything Small