Never Steal Anything Small [Blu-ray]

Director: Charles Lederer Charles Lederer

Overview

Only one of three films directed by screenwriter Charles Lederer, known for movies as disparate as The Thing (1951) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), this crime comedy-drama-musical obviously defies categorization. Mixing James Cagney as a gangster out to control a big union, with musical numbers and cute songs is about like mixing onions and vanilla pudding. Jake MacIllaney (Cagney) wants to be elected president of Longshoreman's union 26 and, being a top mob boss, is used to getting his way. He is not past almost any stunt or method of coercion to get votes. Dan Cabot (Roger Smith) is Jake's lawyer, and after Jake meets Cabot's wife Linda (Shirley Jones), he sets his sights on conquering her affections. Disregard the husband, he can be taken care of. Setting this to music introduces some entertaining songs ("I'm Sorry -- I Want a Ferrari") but the seriousness of the mobster's immorality and power is hard to reconcile with a perky tune about not stealing the small stuff.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2020
UPC:	0738329250201
Original Release:	1959
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Region Code:	A
Language:	English
Time:	1:34:00
Sales rank:	30,603

Special Features

Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer and Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Lee Gambin; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James Cagney	Jake MacIllaney
Shirley Jones	Linda Cabot
Roger Smith	Dan Cabot
Cara Williams	Winnipeg
Nehemiah Persoff	Pinelli
Royal Dano	Words Cannon
Anthony Caruso	Lt. Trevis
Horace MacMahon	O.K. Merritt
Virginia Vincent	Ginger
Jack Albertson	Sleep-Out Charlie
Bob Wilke	Lennie,Lennie
Herbie Faye	Hymie
Billy M. Greene	Ed
John Duke	Ward
Jack Orrison	Osborne
Roland Winters	Doctor
Ingrid Goude	Model
Sanford Seegar	Fats Ranney
Ed McNally	Thomas
Gregg Barton	Deputy Warden
Eddie Parker	Policeman
Jay Jostyn	Judge
Phyllis Rimedy	Waitress
Rebecca Sand	Coffee Vendor
Horace McMahon	O.K. Merritt
Billy Greene	Ed
Skipper McNally	Thomas
John Halloran	First detective
Phyllis Kennedy	Waitress
Allie Wrubel	Composer
Henry Mancini	Composer

Technical Credits

Charles Lederer

Charles Lederer	Director,Screenwriter
Aaron Rosenberg	Producer
Clifford Stine	Special Effects
Rouben Mamoulian	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Never Steal Anything Small is a hodgepodge of a musical, a mixture of too many genres that goes in too many directions to be effective. Matters are not helped by a screenplay that fails as often as it succeeds in being witty, and by a basic immorality to the story that is flirted with but never explored. Steal is also hurt by a paucity of musical numbers. Making the characters involved in this particular story sing is a challenge in itself; it is not helped when there are so few numbers that one forgets this is a musical. The songs in Steal are also not strong enough to make the needed impression. The title number is diverting but not memorable, which is also the problem with the amusing "I'm Sorry -- I Want a Ferrari" (which is amusingly performed by James Cagney and Cara Williams.) Stars Cagney and Shirley Jones are of enormous help (although neither's musical talents are exploited to the proper extent), Hermes Pan contributes some nifty staging, and there are some isolated moments that are wonderful, but Steal is ultimately a misfire.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler