The Irish In Us (1935)

Pat O'Brien, Jimmy Cagney, and Olivia are
caught in a love triangle

Released in 1935 - 77 years ago - The Irish In Us is a hilarious romantic comedy starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien who play brothers. Cagney is a slick-talking boxing promoter and O'Brien is a policeman.  They live at home with their hilariously feisty Irish mamma (scene-stealer Mary Gordon) who says things like "you'll eat your eggs and like it!". There is a funny sequence in the beginning where Danny brings home a gruff, drunken boxer (Allen Jenkins) who asks mamma to feel his biceps. She refuses, and says "Oh, I'll just take your word for it!" in her Scottish accent.

At the breakfast table one morning, Pat announces that he has a new girlfriend -  the strict Police Captain's daughter (Olivia de Havilland). Mamma wants to meet her, and wants her to come to dinner. Pat begs mamma to make sure the other brothers know their manners so they don't do anything embarrassing.

The funniest part of the movie is when Olivia comes over and meets  uncooth brother Frank McHugh. Danny also comes over with the gruff boxer, and hilarity ensues.

The movie ends with a boxing match and a funny gag that will leave you smiling.


TRIVIA TIDBIT: 
The police captain is played by J. Farrell MacDonald. He had a famous scene in Its A Wonderful Life where his grandfather's tree is smashed into by a car. There's a funny scene where her father gives her an allowance and says, "now run along so you can spend it all". "Thanks dad!" she replies.

TRIVIA TIDBIT: In a dance sequence, the background music played by the band is "Lullaby of Broadway", which was used in at least two other Warner Brothers movies that year: Special Agent and The Gold Diggers of 1935.  

Olivia de Haviiland  and Jimmy Cagney fall for each other in The Irish In Us