Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

MissSimonetta Love Me or Leave Me (1955) is eerily close to being a Faustian narrative, a story about an ambitious woman who basically makes a deal with the devil and suffers greatly for it even after she has attained the fame she's desired. It is also a harrowing portrait of an abusive relationship, in this case a fictionalized Ruth Etting and her manager/husband Marty Snyder, played to perfection by Doris Day and James Cagney.Though Day's characterization of Etting is not entirely accurate to the real woman, it is an interesting subversion of her "good girl" image by portraying a character who plays up an innocent image for her own advantage. From the beginning, Ruth knows that Marty expects sex (and later, romantic devotion) in exchange for her singing career; she's not naive and obviously a tough dame. But she puts on a virginal, guileless image, acting as though she has no clue as to Marty's true intentions for her and keeping him at arm's length as a result, constantly using the classic "I'm too tired" excuse. This only works for so long; eventually, after a shocking implied sexual assault, it becomes clear that Marty feels he totally owns this woman and she becomes obligated to marry him, thus sliding into total misery complete with alcoholism. This element of possession is highlighted in the film's intense sense of the male gaze, with Marty and Ruth's love interest Johnny constantly observing her on stage, silently fighting for her favor.It's strange, though, how human the writers and Cagney have managed to make Marty. Despite being obnoxious, violent, and a rapist of all things, there is a sense that he feels inadequate as a person and is holding onto Ruth not only because of twisted affection or her money, but because he has nothing else to do with himself. He's a pathetic monster and part of you reluctantly pities him.Of course, everyone else has gone on about Day's singing, which is fantastic as always, and the film's costumes, which are stunning, especially that big blue dress Ruth dons at the Follies. It's main strength does come from the performances though, and they have kept this one fresh and well worth watching.

mark.waltz If there ever was a movie musical that cried to be taken onto the stage, it is "Love Me or Leave Me". The sultry Ruth Etting has survived the test of time thanks to vintage footage of her performing in a variety of musical shorts and feature films, but for years, all most people knew about her was what they had seen in this movie. Five years after co-starring in the light-hearted "West Point Story", Doris Day and James Cagney were reunited for this, and there is no comparison. They exude fire in their performances as a dime a dance girl (a la "Sweet Charity" circa 1927) and a racketeer hiding behind a laundry business. Cagney encounters Day while on the job, tells her he can move her into stardom after she is fired, and at first thinking he is only a masher, she finally relents and allows him to assist her. But Cagney isn't doing this for nothing; His price is high, and his emotions won't allow her to say no. After taking her from Chicago nightclubs to the Ziegfeld Follies, their violent fights result in marriage, but predictably, happiness is not forthcoming. He is jealous of her success as well as a pianist (Cameron Mitchell) who loves her from afar, and the trapped Day feels like a fly in his web. Everything explodes when they go to Hollywood to make a movie, and real-life scandal prevails.This movie heats up like a depression era speak easy the moment it stars. You know you are not dealing with Warner Brothers Doris Day anymore; This is MGM's Doris, and much like the same year's "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (Susan Hayward as Lillian Roth), it gives a gritty, realistic view of what life was like for a real-life entertainer during this era. Whether crooning "Ten Cents a Dance" ("Come on Big Boy!", she sings with a very subtle shoulder shrug) or dancing to "Shakin' the Blues Away", Day is far from the world of those Gordon MacRae musicals and even the feisty Calamnity Jane. She is solid as a rock here with her acting, and Cagney returns to the kind of role he was doing 20 years before, only grittier and with a nasty sneer overshadowing every crack he makes at her. This is not a man to be messed with.Mitchell's nice guy pianist isn't at all a one dimensional character. He stands up to Cagney, giving him all he's got without fear. Robert Keith, Tom Tully and Harry Bellaver are also memorable as the men who surround Etting and Marty "the Gimp" Snyder. Every detail of this musical is perfect from the costumes, hairstyles and set design, not to mention all the vintage songs that Day sings. With nostalgia all the rage on Broadway again, a musical of this could work very well with the right stars, director and production team behind it.

MartinHafer As a retired history teacher, I always look at the historical accuracy of films and often investigate this on my own before or after I see a film. According to a quote on IMDb, this film is half truth and half fiction. So what, then, is the real story? Well, after some reading, I found that I STILL don't know! I do know some of the film was embellished (for example, Ruth Etting was a headliner BEFORE she met Martin Snyder AND Martin's nickname was "The Gimp" yet his character walks just fine in the film)--but where is that line between truth and fiction and how far over did it go? I sure wish I knew.This is an odd film--a gangster musical. I like gangster films but frankly I felt there was a bit too much singing for my taste--though since the story is about a professional singer, I guess my complaint is very minor. Doris Day plays Etting and her husband is played with lots of gusto by James Cagney. The plot concerns him managing her career and its impact on their marriage. He's a bully and thug--and at first he's an asset. Later, when he alienates practically everyone, he's an obvious deficit and Day leaves him for a piano player. Cagney's reaction is bad--to put it mildly.I know this film has a very good reputation, but I found that after a while I got a bit tired of the movie. Cagney's 'big dumb jerk routine' got a bit old (how can a man YELL for an entire film?!) and Day's 'nice girl routine' seemed fake. At least to me, it was hard feeling sorry for the character, as she seemed to willingly make a deal with the devil--so to speak. Portraying her as a victim seemed disingenuous. So, rather one-dimensional and unlikable characters made this a bit hard to love. Still, the quality of the production was high--and I did enjoy it. I just didn't love it.

TheLittleSongbird As a big fan of Doris Day, I was looking forward to Love Me or Leave Me. And overall, I liked it very much. I agree it is occasionally frothy, and it isn't much of a biopic due to some diluting, more to do with the censorship than with the film itself. That said, while a book is probably better in telling what really happened(a kept woman and her obsessive and sexually inadequate gangster sponsor), the truth isn't completely skimmed over and the story while frothy occasionally is still engrossing, and the script is witty and has a hint of freshness.Even better though are the production values, music and performances. And the direction from Charles Vidor is excellent. To further elaborate on the points made in this paragraph, the use of CinemaScope framing is exquisite and the costumes and sets are top-notch. The music is wonderful too, with the title number and Ten Cents a Dance wonderfully performed by Day. The two leads are great, Doris Day is a knockout complete with a sexy new image and a great understanding to the role she portrays with great warmth and freshness here, while James Cagney in a tough guy role, one of his better later roles is even better.In conclusion, maybe not for those looking for the truth, but for entertainment value and a fun film Love Me or Leave Me is just the ticket. 8/10 Bethany Cox