The Oklahoma Kid

Two iconic mobster whizz - James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart - once had a showdown in a lesser - known westerly movie , The Oklahoma Kid . Neither actor was ever famous as a Western genius , and only had special experience in the genre . Cagney , for his part , was renowned specifically for his work in mobster moving-picture show .

Humphrey Bogart also had a slap-up deal of historywhen it came to mobster flicks . Though they do n’t account for many ofHumphrey Bogart ’s best film , they did make up a goodly portion of his filmography . During the 1930s , in fact , gangster movies were almost solely the project that Bogart was cast in . One exception to that was a Western that united him with one of his mobster pic carbon monoxide gas - stars , James Cagney .

Humphrey Bogart Fought James Cagney In The Oklahoma Kid - What It’s About

Humphrey Bogart Is The Main Villain Of The Oklahoma Kid

From 1938 to 1939 , Bogart and Cagney made three motion-picture show together , the first beingAngels with Dirty Facesand the last beingThe Roaring Twenties . Sandwiched between the two handout wasThe Oklahoma Kid , a Western that localize Cagney in the expansive lead role of hit man Jim Kincaid a.k.a . The Oklahoma Kid . Bogart bet Whip McCord , who was - perhaps unsurprisingly - a notorious outlaw and the loss leader of a ring of string robber . What placed them in fight was McCord taking over Kincaid ’s hometown .

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The anarchy that McCord brought toThe Oklahoma Kid’stake on the metropolis of Tulsa drove the story of the movie , with Kincaid and his kin being steadfastly against Bogart ’s reference . Their rivalry hail to a head when McCord killed a member of the Kincaid family , turning their beef into something much more personal and lay up a heated final battle .

The Oklahoma Kid (1939) - PosTER

Why The Oklahoma Kid Is Worth Watching

The Oklahoma Kid Is An Underrated B-Movie Western

Though the film is outside the pilothouse of both Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney , The Oklahoma Kidstill make for a worthwhile viewing experience . Admittedly , it fail to perform well with critics , but still proffer a fun , albeit traditional westerly level . Humphrey Bogart ’s propensity for spiel rugged , malcontent characters lent itself well to the function of a pitiless crook like McCord , and Cagney - despite not being an obvious fit for westerly flick - did n’t seem out of situation inThe Oklahoma Kid .

The news report provides nothing unfamiliar , but is enjoyable however , as it hire some of the best Western trope . The Oklahoma Kidbuilds toward an exciting revenge tale , and pay it off with a pop staple of the Western literary genre - an intense fistfight between the two stars at the end of the movie . All affair considered , The Oklahoma Kidis a fun deviation from the work that both Bogart and Cagney typically deliver .

The Oklahoma Kid Couldn’t Compete With Bogart & Cagney’s Other Movies

Angels With Dirty Faces & The Roaring Twenties Are Even Better

The Oklahoma Kidis indeed an underrated film , but that ’s not to say that it ’s the best of Humphrey Bogart ’s collaborations with James Cagney . While solid , it ’s still the weakest of the motion-picture show they made together . WhereasThe Oklahoma Kidis a largely forgotten entry in the Western genre , Angels with contaminating Facesis widely regarded as one of thebest gangster picture ever made . Cagney and Pat O’Brien are the co - lead of the film , which explores a tragic friendly relationship between two men , who pop out out as childhood protagonist but wander up on very different path .

For fans of the classic movie Casablanca , this amazing 1944 movie is arrant to watch as it has some of the same shape and Casablanca ’s film director .

O’Brien is the film ’s heroic lead , with him as the non-Christian priest and Cagney as the gangster . The journey they go on as O’Brien ’s Jerry attempt to extend to what ’s left of the goodness in Cagney ’s theatrical role helpsAngels with Dirty Facesstand out as one of the latter actor ’s most memorable roles . What ’s more , Cagney ’s performance shore him a nominating speech for the Academy Award for Best Actor . As for Bogart , his part as a mobster familiar to Cagney ’s character is n’t of great significance , but it ’s an of import pace toward the actor becoming a Hollywood star .

Humphrey Bogart Fought James Cagney In This Forgotten Western

Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

The Roaring Twentiessees the saving tone of Cagney ’s Eddie Bartlett step by step come forth , provide his character developing to be one of the film ’s highlights .

Bogart received a lot more to do in bothThe Oklahoma Kidand his third and last film with Cagney , The Roaring Twenties . Once again , Cagney had top billing in a film that explore the ascension and fall of a mobster play by the actor . In this one , Cagney and Bogart play members of a trio of soldiers who embark down unlike roads after World War I. Cagney and Bogart ’s characters both become career malefactor while the third - played by Jeffrey Lynn - joins the polar side of the law as a district lawyer .

Similar toAngels with Dirty Faces , The Roaring Twentiessees the redemptive qualities of Cagney ’s Eddie Bartlett bit by bit emerge , allowing his character growth to be one of the film ’s highlights . Bogart ’s public presentation allow for a boost to the story , as his status as an unapologetic villain create a clear direct contrast with Eddie and make their dynamic compelling to find out . give all its persuasiveness , it ’s no surprisal thatThe Roaring Twentieshas a repute as an outstanding mobster movie .

James Cagney wielding dual pistols in The Oklahoma Kid

The Oklahoma Kid is a Western film directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney as the titular character. The plot centers on a cowboy who returns to his hometown to find it plagued by corruption and lawlessness, led by a nefarious gang. Facing personal and moral dilemmas, he takes it upon himself to restore justice and bring peace to the community. The film also features Humphrey Bogart in a notable role.

Other Humphrey Bogart & James Cagney Westerns To Watch

Bogart & Cagney Made A Few Other Noteworthy Westerns

The Oklahoma Kidmay not have been a collision , but it was n’t the last time studios hire a change on Cagney and Bogart with their westerly movies . Bogart appeared in another just a year subsequently when he co - star inVirginia City , one of a handful of Errol Flynn Westerns produce by Warner Bros. Virginia Cityisn’t Flynn ’s good Western , but it ’s a destiny likeThe Oklahoma Kidin that it delivers a fairly straightforward but entertaining story where Bogart is an amoral outlaw and the main baddie .

Without inquiry , Bogart ’s greatest contribution to the Western genre wasThe Treasure of Sierre Madre . UnlikeThe Oklahoma KidandVirginia City , The Treasure of Sierra Madrewas made at a time when Bogart was already a household name and one of Hollywood ’s most honest star . The Treasure of Sierra Madre’s100%Rotten Tomatoesscorealone is indicative of its overall quality and succeeder in utilizing Bogart ’s screen persona to make a great Western protagonist .

James Cagney does n’t have a major Western to his name that matches the legacy of Humphrey Bogart’sThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre , but he dabbled in the genre a bit more well over a decennary afterThe Oklahoma Kid . As interest in mobster movies waned , Cagney separate out a routine , fall toWesterns in the 1950swith two low - profile films , Run for CoverandTribute to a Bad Man , both of which being moving picture that gave him top - charge but paired the mature star with younger , male co - lead .

Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade looking suspicious in The Maltese Falcon

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The Oklahoma Kid is a Western moving-picture show directed by Lloyd Bacon , starring James Cagney as the titulary fictional character . The patch centers on a rodeo rider who returns to his hometown to find it provoke by corruption and lawlessness , led by a villainous gang . face personal and moral dilemmas , he take it upon himself to restore judge and bring peace to the community . The film also features Humphrey Bogart in a illustrious role .

The big showdown in The Oklahoma Kid

Humphrey Bogart as Jim and James Cagney as Rocky on the telephone in Angels With Dirty Faces.

Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca

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The Oklahoma Kid