Great Guy: Cagney vs. the Grocery Scale

Is it worth your time?

If you like James Cagney doing that rapid-fire, twitchy thing he does, you’ll probably have a good time with Great Guy. It’s not his most famous role, but he’s clearly having fun playing a guy who gets genuinely angry about short-changing. If you need explosions or a grand plot, maybe skip it. This is basically just a guy running around town, yelling at people for being dishonest.

The whole premise is weird. An investigator for the Bureau of Weights and Measures? I kept waiting for it to get boring, but Cagney just won't let it. He walks into rooms like he’s ready to fight the furniture.

There’s this one scene where he’s checking the weight of a roast or some meat, and you can see him looking at the scale like it’s a ticking bomb. It’s absurd. I found myself caring about the accuracy of these scales more than I ever have in my actual life. 🥩

Mae Clarke is in this, which is always nice to see. She feels a bit underused, like the script didn't know what to do with her other than have her look worried or supportive. She deserved more screen time, honestly.

The Rhythm of the thing

The movie doesn't have that polished, big-studio sheen you get from later stuff. It feels a bit scruffy around the edges, almost like it was filmed in a hurry. Sometimes the dialogue overlaps in a way that feels natural, not written. Other times, it feels like people are just waiting for Cagney to finish his rant so they can say their lines.

I couldn't help but think about how different this is from the chaotic energy of The Black Cat. It’s a totally different vibe, less spooky and way more concerned with the price of flour. It’s funny how old movies can take such mundane topics and make them feel like a street brawl.

• Cagney’s hat game is strong.
• The villain is the exact kind of guy you want to see get caught.
• There’s a lot of walking into offices and slamming doors.
• The ending feels a bit rushed, but who cares?

There’s a moment near the middle where everything goes quiet for a second too long, and you realize the director wasn't sure how to get from the market to the office. It’s a bit clunky, but I kind of liked the weird pause. It felt human.

You can tell they didn't have a massive budget. Most of the "confrontations" happen in cramped rooms that probably served as sets for three other movies that week. Doesn't matter. Cagney commands the space so well that you don't really notice the peeling paint or the reused desks.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even trying to be. It’s just a solid, angry little movie about a guy who hates cheaters. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need on a Tuesday night. ⚖️