Diving headlong into the extended holiday weekend, I thought it would be best to kick things off with a star-spangled Retro Movie Moment.

Why?

Because I’m a “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”

James Cagney stars as the ultimate patriotic showman George M. Cohan in this Oscar-winning musical from 1942.

Cohan was the legendary performer, writer and producer of turn-of-the-last-century Broadway who gave us scores of hit songs including “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “It’s a Grand Old Flag,” “Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Over There.” His music reflects the unstoppable spirit and patriotism exhibited in the U.S. at the dawn of the American Century.

If you are only familiar with Cagney as the quintessential tough guy and gangster in classic movies such as “Public Enemy,” “Angels with Dirty Faces” and “White Heat,” you might be surprised to learn that Cagney was actually one of the best and most underused song-and-dance men in Hollywood. Cagney said “Yankee Doodle Dandy” was the favorite movie of his career–not because he won an Oscar for Best Actor but because it was one of his rare opportunities to dance and sing on film.

Cagney does an excellent job recreating Cohan’s exuberance and determination to succeed and entertain through the peeks and valleys of Cohan’s career.

The movie also stars Joan Leslie, Walter Huston (who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award) and Eddie Foy Jr., who played his own father–Cohan’s rival for being the king of Broadway during that time period.

The choice of director for this film also might surprise some people. Before this film, Michael Curtiz was best known for his hit Errol Flynn swashbucklers “Captain Blood,” “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “The Sea Hawk.” He also worked with Cagney in the classic “Angels with Dirty Faces.” He wasn’t generally known for his musicals.

What is remarkable to me is that Curtiz not only directed “Yankee Doodle Dandy” in 1942, he also directed the oh-so slightly more famous “Casablanca“! Both movies earned Best Picture and Director nods for two years running because “Casablanca” wasn’t released until January 1943. Curtiz only won for “Casablanca,” but that shouldn’t diminish the fact “Yankee Doodle Dandy” was and is still one of the most energizing musicals on film–loaded with great character development in addition to stunning singing and dancing.

So before you head out to the big fireworks shows this Independence Day, you might want to check out “Yankee Doodle Dandy” for a patriotic booster shot. Who knows, you might just be surprised by how many of the songs you hear during the fireworks display that were made famous by the great George M. Cohan.