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Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Get ready to Laugh, to Sing, to Shout! ...For here comes Uncle Sam's Star Spangled Yankee Doodle Dandy!

1942126 minPassedMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Director
Michael Curtiz
Starring
James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf

A film of the life of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer and singer George M. Cohan.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Yankee Doodle Dandy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Yankee Doodle Dandy on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Yankee Doodle Dandy?

Yankee Doodle Dandy earns 8 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Yankee Doodle Dandy worth watching?

Yankee Doodle Dandy's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all films, from 33K ratings across 6 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of films

87th percentile among Biography92nd percentile among 1940s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Biography92nd percentile among 1940s

Critics 89 · Audience 72

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

81% liked it

91st percentile of all films

86th percentile among Biography92nd percentile among 1940s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

3 Oscars won · 5 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 6 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture

Reach

How many have seen it

84th percentile

33K ratings across platforms

67th percentile among Biography94th percentile among 1940s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26

Box office

Worldwide gross$3K

2nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a highly patriotic, sentimentalized biography of George M. Cohan with a powerhouse James Cagney performance.

Fans praised

  • Cagney's energetic, Oscar-winning performance
  • Patriotic, uplifting wartime morale booster
  • Great musical numbers and Cohan's songbook

Detractors panned

  • Over-the-top jingoism and propaganda
  • Sacrifices historical accuracy for sentiment
  • Cagney's singing is weak and dancing is stiff

What stands out

ActingDivisive90

Cagney's magnetic, dynamic portrayal of Cohan

Sound and musicDivisive80

Cohan's rousing, patriotic songs are toe-tapping

EndingDivisive80

Cagney's stair-top dance and medal presentation provide satisfying closure

Emotional impactDivisive75

Tearjerker death scene; uplifting finale

DialogueDivisive65

Snappy, witty, sometimes corny

CharactersDivisive60

Cohan as one-note, egotistical hero; supporting family warm but thin

Plot and storyDivisive50

Fictionalized, episodic, lacks conflict

Originality30

Standard Hollywood biopic formula; derivative of era's patriotic fare

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 16 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Yankee Doodle Dandy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulWarmTriumphant
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
WarmExuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.Sentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film plays its patriotic and sentimental material completely straight, with an earnest, uplifting warmth that never winks at the audience.
The rideThe film is predominantly joyful and warm, with a sentimental peak during Jerry Cohan's deathbed scene mid-story.
StructureCohan narrates his life in flashback to President Roosevelt, making the whole film a framed reminiscence.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a buoyant, uplifted feeling, carried by its rousing musical numbers and unabashed patriotism.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Rags to riches underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows Cohan's rise from vaudeville child to Broadway legend, but its emotional arc is driven by his late-in-life return to the stage and reaffirmation of his patriotic purpose, fitting redemption through return.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfLegacySociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Legacy · 4% of filmsFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores what a performer leaves behind—his songs, his patriotism, his family—and how that legacy outlives him.
StanceThe film unabashedly celebrates George M. Cohan's patriotism, family devotion, and show-business legacy, treating his life as a model of American achievement.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalOrchestral modernForeground music · hybrid
Settingvaudeville and Broadway theatres, 1890s-1940s
MusicSongs by George M. Cohan are performed extensively, including 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'Give My Regards to Broadway,' and 'Over There.'

Content guide

Is Yankee Doodle Dandy okay for kids?

Passed

Yankee Doodle Dandy is rated Passed. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at mild (22/100), language at minimal (6/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (24/100) and frightening material at minimal (8/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • UKU
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (33 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Yankee Doodle Dandy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Yankee Doodle Dandy?

Cast

James Cagney
as George M. Cohan
Joan Leslie
as Mary
Walter Huston
as Jerry Cohan
Richard Whorf
as Sam Harris
Irene Manning
as Fay Templeton
George Tobias
as Dietz
Rosemary DeCamp
as Nellie Cohan
Jeanne Cagney
as Josie Cohan
Frances Langford
as Nora Bayes - Singer 'Over There'
George Barbier
as Erlanger

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Yankee Doodle Dandy?

Movies like Yankee Doodle Dandy include There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), The Railway Children (1970) and Funny Lady (1975). Of the 12 closest matches, half are stories about singers, and half are musicals.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Michael Curtiz directed 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Yankee Doodle Dandy?

2.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: musical. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.