I have a difficult time getting psyched to watch old black and white movies. There’s just no draw for my sensory-overload addled brain. I have a 4K HDR TV with a Dolby Atmos setup (because I’m a tech junky and admit I have a problem though I couldn’t tell you the technology makes a huge difference beyond normal 1080p and Dolby or DTS 5.1), and I want to utilize all the pixel-popping eardrum-stroking media I can. A movie from the first half of the twentieth century is not going to scratch that itch no matter how many times it’s been remastered. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), therefore, was not on my top 100 list. Heck, I didn’t even know the movie existed prior to the pursuit of watching through AFI’s recommendations. I made a decision, however, to watch every movie on the top 100 list that I could find and reasonably acquire, and I would force myself to watch with an open mind. Thankfully, I’m glad I gave myself this opportunity. The world has seen billions of people, and those people have had trillions of stories to tell. Luckily, talented individuals give others the chance to experience some truly inspiring and harrowing tales whether they exist on page, screen, or spoken word. Yankee Doodle Dandy shares the life of George M. Cohan who, if the movie portrayed his journey with any amount of accuracy, had a full existence.

 The origin story of such American song classics as Yankee Doodle Dandy, You’re A Grand Old Flag, and Over There is surprisingly fascinating as I admittedly never realized one man was responsible for so many flag-waving hits, but why should someone watch this celluloid artifact from the past? This movie should be watched because it’s a classic story about the dogged pursuit of success. Watch it for James Cagney’s bountiful energy and talent. Experience each scene to marvel how entertainment and the requisite skills, particularly for acting, have evolved over time. Make time to absorb the content because someone else dipped his or her toe in the water and assured time would not be wasted. Watch because you like movies and need a change of pace.

At 97, we jump to the future with Blade Runner

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