Noir City 2026: Love Me or Leave Me
February 16, 2026
The life of singer Ruth Etting gets the full noir treatment. Doris Day gives a powerhouse performance as Etting, both dramatically and vocally, while James Cagney chews the scenery as the gangster who refuses to let her out of his grasp. 1956 Oscar winner - “Best Writing, Motion Picture Story”.
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Monday, February 16, 2026
The tumultuous life of dancer-singer Ruth Etting (Doris Day, in a revelatory performance) gets a vivid retelling in this vivacious and vitriolic biopic that is equal parts lavish musical and noir-stained psychodrama. Daniel Fuchs (Hollow Triumph, Criss Cross) won a “Best Writing, Motion Picture Story” Oscar for this tale of the 1920s singing and dancing sensation who makes a Faustian bargain for fame and glory—becoming a protégé to Chicago gangster Marty Snyder (Jimmy Cagney, in an Oscar-nominated performance). The role is such a scintillating showcase for Doris Day’s talents that it’s hard to believe Ava Gardner was the studio’s first choice for the starring role until Cagney convinced producer Joe Pasternak that Day, borrowed from Warner Bros., was the perfect choice. Many of Etting’s greatest hits are performed by Day, including “Ten Cents a Dance,” “You Made Me Love You,” "Stay on the Right Side, Sister," as well as “I’ll Never Stop Loving You,” a 1956 Oscar nominee for Best Original Song.
- Director: Charles Vidor
- Principal Cast: Doris Day, James Cagney, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Keith
- Country: USA
- Year: 1955
- Running Time: 122 min.
- Producer: Joe Pasternak
- Screenplay: Daniel Fuchs, Isobel Lennart
- Cinematographers: Arthur E. Arling
- Editors: Ralph E. Winters
- Format: DCP
- US Distributor: Warner Brothers