James Cagney is always a delight to watch, even when he's playing a pompous and disgusting pig like Marty Snyder. If you don't agree with that statement, you may have a hard time taking in Love Me Or Leave Me, because Cagney's character is about as unlikeable as leading men come. I know next to nothing about Snyder's non-fiction life, but if we are to believe his composite in this film, the dude must have been completely lacking redeeming qualities of any kind.<br /><br />Of course, Cagney himself is well known as one of the nicest, most decent human beings who ever worked in Hollywood, so the fact that he so effectively channels Snyder's loathsome persona certainly demonstrates the actor's tremendous skills. If you've seen any of Cagney films, you're probably used to those, but his ability to own every scene he's in despite the fact that the audience is destined to abhor his character shows very clearly how fully Cagney leaped into every performance he undertook. <br /><br />Doris Day is not one of my favorite actresses of the classic era, but she is excellent here. Perhaps I just hadn't seen her at her best until now, but after witnessing her show-stopping Zigfield Follies number here, I'm a believer. It's hard to sell her as a sympathetic character, especially watching her maintain her timid vigil under Snyder's dominating and abusive umbrella, but the film explores their volatile relationship in such depth, some semblance of understanding creeps through. This is not your traditional love story however, and in fact that emotion seems to have very little to do with the pairing on the screen in Love Me Or Leave Me. The film instead essays a very peculiar mutual dependency, and it's a fascinating relationship to digest in the hands of these two gifted actors, both of whom make every scene they share sizzle as they play off of each other.<br /><br />A substantial number of musical performances pad the running time, and it could be argued that some could have been omitted for the sake of streamlining the story. But the songs serve as external monologues in which Day fills in the emotional gaps in her character's psyche, and paying close attention to the words reveals a lot about the unspoken undercurrent of alternating disgust and devotion that seems to have classified this co-dependent arrangement. Luckily, all of the music is excellent, and Day's performances are all top notch. Whether we're seeing her headline elaborate stage numbers or simply rehearsing by the piano, her plain but effective vocal delivery always seethes with emotion.<br /><br />Though the film is definitely dated, it has aged quite well. Today's audiences will likely note the casual misogyny that runs rampant throughout the film, which was so prevalent in early Hollywood and was somehow accepted as part of popular culture. Those not familiar with this phenomenon may be a bit shocked by what they see here, but if we put it in context with the times and consider what a woman's role was traditionally considered in the era, it's not off-putting to see Day endure these verbal and emotional attacks without retaliation. It certainly doesn't dilute the strength of her performance, or the character for that matter, and knowing that it wasn't considered socially proper for a woman to talk back to her fella in those days adds yet another layer of complexity to the fabric of this union. We know there will come a point where Day finally can't take anymore, and watching her soak up each new trespass while being forced to bottle her emotions allows us to truly be engulfed by the inner turmoil of this woman whose dreams are coming true, even as her life away from the stage is a nightmare.<br /><br />This is an engrossing character study on both sides, and Day and Cagney are both in top form here. If that alone isn't enough to persuade you to watch this film, I'm at a loss to provide a better selling point.