The Time of Your Life (1948)

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After turning down several other Hollywood producers, playwright William Saroyan sold the film rights of his whimsical Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Time of Your Life to James and William Cagney. The scene is a rundown San Francisco waterfront bar, populated by a group of lovable eccentrics. Joe… More After turning down several other Hollywood producers, playwright William Saroyan sold the film rights of his whimsical Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Time of Your Life to James and William Cagney. The scene is a rundown San Francisco waterfront bar, populated by a group of lovable eccentrics. Joe (James Cagney), a philosophical souse, encourages all around him to indulge in their wildest dreams. Joe's pal Tom (Wayne Morris), a born patsy, runs errands for Joe, the only person who has ever shown him kindness. Kitty (Jeanne Cagney), a streetwalker, willingly allows Joe to sponge drinks off her in exchange for a few nice words. Harry (Paul Draper), an enthusiastic but hopelessly untalented dancer-comedian, is hired by bartender Nick (William Bendix) at Joe's urging. And Kit Carson (James Barton), an addled old man who lives in a dream world, is prodded by Joe into weaving his unlikely reminiscences of the Wild West. It is Kit Carson (James Barton) who solves everyone's problems by eliminating a particularly scabrous detective named Blick (Tom Powers). Time of Your Life was originally filmed with Saroyan's bizarrely humorous ending intact, but the preview audiences reacted negatively, forcing the Cagney brothers to shoot $300,000 worth of retakes. Though many historians have written off The Time of Your Life as a brave failure, the film was actually a hit, grossing $1.5 million. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 49 min.
Directed By: H.C. Potter
Written By: William Saroyan, Nathaniel Curtis
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 3, 1948 Wide

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Cast

            Marlene Ammes as Nick's Daughter

            James Cagney as Joe

            William Bendix as Nick

            James Barton as Kit Carson

            Reginald Beane as Wesley

            Wayne Morris as Tom

            Jeanne Cagney as Kitty Duval

            Gladys Blake as Sidekick

            Broderick Crawford as Policeman

            Ward Bond as McCarthy

            Claire Carleton as "Killer"

            Paul Draper as Harry

            Richard Erdman as Willie

            Howard Freeman as Society gentleman

            Jimmy Lydon as Dudley

            Grazia Marciso as Nick's Mother

            John Miller as Drunk

            Gale Page as Mary L.

            Nanette Parks as Girl in love

            Tom Powers as Blick

            Lanny Rees as Newsboy

            Renie Riano as Blind date

            Natalie Schafer as Society woman

            Eddie Borden as Salvation Army man

            Ann Cameron as B girl

            Rena Case as Salvation Army woman

            Pedro de Cordoba as Arab

            Donald Kerr as Bookie

            Moy Ming as Cook

            Floyd Walters as Sailor

            Joseph Allen Jr.
            
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