Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy was made in 1942, a great year for films, and still won 3 Oscars. In 1993, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and in 2006 it was ranked #18 on AFI's 100 Years of Musicals. It is a 'feel good' film, both nostalgic and unashamedly patriotic, released as it was just after the Pearl Harbour attack on the US Fleet.
The film tells the musical rags-to-riches life story and times of early 20th century entertainment legend George M. Cohan, following several generations of his family and showcases several exciting song and dance numbers. It contains a tour de force performance by an high energy James Cagney who shows beyond any doubt that he was not just a gangster-portrayer but also a very fine song and dance man.
As well as being critically well-received, the film was also a major box-office success for Warner Bros. It became the top box-office hit of the year, and Warners' most successful film up to that time.
Biography of James Cagney
Yankee Doodle Dandy