Love Me or Leave Me (1955)

 This was actually a completely solid film.

Marty Snyder (James Cagney) is a bit of a gangster and wheeler-dealer around Chicago in the 1920s and when he discovers stubborn Ruth Etting (Doris Day, brilliant), he propels her to stardom though it is all on his terms as he is super controlling, and more than just a little bit of a narcissistic asshole. 

It takes Ruth until nearly the end of the film to finally break free of his grasp and then, just when Marty completely ruins his life, by shooting Ruth's lover, pianist Johnny Alderman (Cameron Mitchell), Ruth saves him for a reward for everything he'd done for her. So, she gets her happy ending, to be successful all on her own, finally having the love in her life that she truly deserves, but Marty also manages to get his happy ending, Johnny survives and Ruth helps Marty save his club where he sunk all his money, so he'll be a success too, somehow. Despite of how he treated her, slapping once plus being verbally and mentally abusive, she still saves him. That just doesn't sit right with me.

That being said, Cagney and Day are pitch-perfect in their roles, each at the top of their game. Day should have been nominated for an Oscar for her performance and the fact that she wasn't is nothing short of a crime. The songs are good, the costumes are great though you do have to use your imagination slightly to pretend that you're back in the 1920s, but it kept me engaged and moved quickly, with good pacing. Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-I couldn't help but wonder, was Marty's limp real or faked by Cagney?

-Cagney was nominated for an Oscar, which is well-deserved though he was better in Yankee Doodle Dandy, which won him an Oscar. Again, Day was beyond robbed. 

-What else has Cameron Mitchell been in? 

-Despite Ruth meaning everything to Marty at the beginning of the film, he lets her go relatively easily, thank goodness, it's the least he could do after putting Ruth through hell.

-Lest we forgot, Marty assaults Ruth and yet she immediately marries him, so yes, he's an asshole.