Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
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67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews) -
70% of users liked it
(3,900 ratings)
One of the gutsiest movie musicals of the 1950s, Love Me or Leave Me is the true story of 1930s torch-singer Ruth Etting, here played by Doris Day. While working in a dime-a-dance joint, Ruth is discovered by Chicago racketeer Martin "The Gimp" Snyder (fascinatingly played with nary a… More One of the gutsiest movie musicals of the 1950s, Love Me or Leave Me is the true story of 1930s torch-singer Ruth Etting, here played by Doris Day. While working in a dime-a-dance joint, Ruth is discovered by Chicago racketeer Martin "The Gimp" Snyder (fascinatingly played with nary a redeeming quality by James Cagney). The smitten Snyder exerts pressure on his show-biz connections, and before long Ruth is a star of nightclubs, stage and films. Ruth continues to string Snyder along to get ahead, but she can't help falling in love with musician Johnny Alderman (Cameron Mitchell). After sinking his fortune into a nightclub for Ruth's benefit, Snyder is rather understandably put out when he finds her in the arms of Alderman. Snyder shoots the musician (but not fatally) and is carted away to prison. Upon his release, Snyder finds that Ruth is still in love with Alderman; he is mollified by her act of largesse in keeping her promise to perform in his nightclub at a fraction of her normal salary. No one comes off particularly nobly in Love Me or Leave Me, even though the still-living Ruth Etting, Martin Snyder and Johnny Alderman were offered full script approval. The fact that we are seeing flesh-and-blood opportunists rather than the usual sugary-sweet MGM musical stick figures naturally makes for a more powerful film. In his autobiography, James Cagney had nothing but praise for his co-star Doris Day, and bemoaned the fact that she would soon turn her back on dramatic roles to star in a series of fluffy domestic comedies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Charles Vidor
- Written By
- Daniel Fuchs, Isobel Lennart
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jun 10, 1955 Wide
- Studio
- MGM Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Truthfully told musical saga of '20s singer Ruth Etting with fine turn by Doris Day; Cagney eats up scenery.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Doris was called on to act dramatically and not just sing and be the girl-next-door.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
As a highly colored biopic, it's is an enjoyable mix of Day putting her stamp on Etting's best known songs and the contrasting acting styles of Day and Cagney.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Charles Vidor's crime-gangster musical, about the rise of fall of singer Ruth Etting, offers James Cagney (Oscar-nominated) and Doris Day some of the best dramatic roles of their careers.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
abrasively repetitious
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Doris Day
as Ruth Etting
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James Cagney
as Martin "The Gimp" Snyder
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Cameron Mitchell
as Johnny Alderman
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Robert Keith
as Bernard V. Loomis
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Tom Tully
as Frobisher
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Harry Bellaver
as Georgie
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Richard Gaines
as Paul Hunter
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Peter Leeds
as Fred Taylor
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Claude Stroud
as Eddie Fulton
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John Harding
as Greg Trent
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Dorothy Abbott
as Dancer
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Jay Adler
as Orry
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Genevieve Aumont
as Woman
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Veda Ann Borg
as Hostess
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Benny Burt
as Stage manager
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Claire Carleton
as Claire
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John Damler
as 2nd Reporter
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John Day
as Stage-Hand
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James Drury
as Assistant director
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Roy Engel
as 1st Reporter, Propman
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Mauritz Hugo
as Irate customer
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Henry Kulky
as Bouncer
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Robert Malcolm Young
as Doorman
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Paul McGuire
as Drapery man
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Otto Reichow
as Bouncer
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Bob Stephenson
as Waiter
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Larri Thomas
as Chorus girl
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Dale Van Sickel
as Stagehand
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Audrey Wilder
as Jingle Girl
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Robert Carson
as Mr. Brelston Radio Station Manager
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Jimmy Cross
as Photographer
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Chet Brandenburg
as Chauffeur
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Michael Kostrick
as Assistant Director
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Barry Regan
as Guard
- Phil Schumacher
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Shirley Wilson
as Chorus Girl
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Dick Simmons
as Dance director
